- Leopold became the founder and sole owner of the Congo Free State, a private project undertaken on his own behalf. He used explorer Henry Morton Stanley to help him lay claim to the Congo, the present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo. At the Berlin Conference of 1884–1885 the colonial nations of Europe authorized his claim by committing the Congo Free State to improving the lives of the native inhabitants. From the beginning Leopold essentially ignored these conditions. He ran the Congo using the mercenary Force Publique for his personal enrichment.
- Leopold extracted a fortune from the Congo, initially by the collection of ivory, and after a rise in the price of rubber in the 1890s, by forced labour from the native population to harvest and process rubber. Under his regime millions of the Congolese people died. Modern estimates range from one million to fifteen million, with a consensus growing around 10 million.
Early political career
- Leopold's public career began on his attaining the age of majority in 1855, when he became a member of the Belgian Senate. He took an active interest in the senate, especially in matters concerning the development of Belgium and its trade,[3] and began to urge Belgium's acquisition of colonies.
- His father died on December 10, 1865, and Leopold took the oath of office on December 17, in his thirtieth year.
[1865년 왕위에 오름]
- 노동당의 성장. 1893년 모든 성인 남자 투표권. 노동 조합
[국내에서 국민들의 인권 신장이 이루어지고 있는 동안 콩고에서의 원주민 착취와 억압, 학살 등이 진행되고 있었다는 점에 주목할 필요]
In 1900, he created the Royal Trust, by means of which he donated most of his property to the Belgian nation. This preserved them to beautify Belgium in perpetuity, while still allowing future generations of the Belgian Royal family the privilege of their use.
Congo Free State
- Leopold extracted a fortune from the Congo, initially by the collection of ivory, and after a rise in the price of rubber in the 1890s, by forced labour from the natives to harvest and process rubber
- Monument in Arlon (Belgium). "I have undertaken the work in the Congo in the interest of civilization and for the good of Belgium."
Obtaining the Congo Free State
- Leopold fervently believed that overseas colonies were the key to a country's greatness, and he worked tirelessly to acquire colonial territory for Belgium. Leopold eventually began to acquire a colony as a private citizen. The Belgian government lent him money for this venture.
- 스페인의 식민지였던 필리핀을 벨기에의 식민지로 만들려고 하려다 실패(1866-68)
- After numerous unsuccessful schemes to acquire colonies in Africa and Asia, in 1876 Leopold organized a private holding company disguised as an international scientific and philanthropic association, which he called the International African Society, or the International Association for the Exploration and Civilization of the Congo. In 1878, under the auspices of the holding company, he hired explorer Henry Stanley to explore and establish a colony in the Congo region.[16]:62 Much diplomatic maneuvering among European nations resulted in the Berlin Conference of 1884–1885 regarding African affairs, at which representatives of 14 European countries and the United States recognized Leopold as sovereign of most of the area to which he and Stanley had laid claim.[16]:84-87 on 5 February 1885, the Congo Free State, an area 76 times larger than Belgium, was established under Leopold II's personal rule and private army, the Force Publiqu
(In 1879, the International Association of the Congo was also formed, having more economic goals, but still closely related to the former society) It replaced the Belgian Comité d'Études du Haut-Congo ("Committee for the Study of the Upper Congo"),[2] which was part of the International African Association front organisation created for the exploration of the Congo
Exploitation, atrocities, and death toll
- Abandoning the promises of the Berlin Conference in the late 1890s, the Free State government restricted foreign access and extorted forced labor from the natives