leopold-ii Quotes About congo

“I believe we must set up three children's colonies, the aim of these colonies is above all to furnish us with soldiers.”

Slavery Congo Leopold Ii Congo Free State Leopold Ii Of Belgium Child Soldiers

Author:Leopold II

“If you yield so much as an inch of the Congo, your old King will rise from his grave to blame you.”

Congo Leopold Ii Belgium Congo Free State Belgian Congo Belgian Colonial Empire

Author:Leopold II

“In accordance with my duty, I do not pursue any selfish goal. The only favor I ask is to continue to put all my personal earnings to good use in the expansion of our foreign interests. [...] What I have sought in Africa, what I shall find more and more if people follow me, that, together with the progress of civilization, is work for our industrial firms and consequently for their numerous employees.”

Civilization Congo Leopold Ii Belgium Industrial Revolution

Author:Leopold II

“Even more than other nations, a country of craftsmen and traders must make an effort to secure export territories. That patriotic concern has dominated my life and has been instrumental in the creation of the African enterprise. My efforts have not proved fruitless: a young and great state, governed from Brussels, has seen the light of day peacefully. [...] Its administration is in the hands of Belgians, while other compatriots in increasing numbers make their capital bear fruit there.”

Congo Leopold Ii Belgium Brussezls

Author:Leopold II

“Starting a business like the one that has kept me so busy is always difficult and troublesome. I insisted on taking the effort entirely on myself. In order to do his country a service, a king must not shy away from the realization of an undertaking, even if it shows evidence of recklessness. The wealth of a monarch lies in public prosperity.”

Congo Leopold Ii Belgium Congo Free State

Author:Leopold II

“The Congo state is certainly not a business, if it gathers ivory on some of it's lands, that is only to lessen its deficits.”

Colonialism Congo Leopold Ii Belgium Ivory Congo Free State Leopold Ii Of Belgium

Author:Leopold II

“I will give them my Congo, but they have no right to know what i did there.”

Congo Leopold Ii Belgium Congo Free State Leopold Of Belgium

Author:Leopold II

“A People which is content with its homeland and which shreds at even the shadow of a conflict lacks the characteristics of a superior race.”

Congo Leopold Ii Belgium Congo Free State Leopolds Ghost

Author:Leopold II

“There are no small countries, only small minds.”

Congo Leopold Ii Belgium Congo Free State Belgian Congo

Author:Leopold II

“I undertook the Congo project in the interest of Civilization and for the good of Belgium.”

Congo Leopold Ii Belgium Brussels Belgian Congo Cinquantinaire Congo Freev State

Author:Leopold II

“Nations that renounce ambition are nations with no future.”

Congo Leopold Ii Belgium Congo Free State Belgian Congo

Author:Leopold II

“Do I still need to tell you that I am not guided by selfish motives? No gentlemen, although Belgium is small, it is happy and content with its fate. I have no ambition other than to serve it. In this century, our civilized society imparts unprecedented values to barbarian communities in other parts of the world.”

Congo Leopold Ii Belgium Congo Free State Brussels Geographic Conference

Author:Leopold II

“These expeditions respond to an extraordinarily civilizing Christian idea: to abolish slavery in Africa, to dispel the darkness that still reigns in part of the world, to get to know the resources that seem gigantic, in short, pouring out the treasures of civilization, that's it. purpose of this modern crusade worthy of our era.”

Exploration Congo Leopold Ii Belgium Congo Free State Leopold Ii Of Belgium Henry Morton Stanley Scramble For Africa European Expansion Livingstone

Author:Leopold II

“We must ensure that it is not too clear that the Association of Congo and the African Association are two different businesses. The public doesn't understand that. It will assume that there are two phases, the first of which is no longer relevant.”

Congo Leopold Ii Belgium Congo Free State Belgian Congo Leopold Ii Of Belgium Belgian Colonialism Belgian Colonial Empire

Author:Leopold II

“It is not about Belgian colonies. It is about establishing a new state that is as large as possible and about its governance. It should be clear that in this project there can be no question of granting the Negroes the slightest form of political power. That would be ridiculous. The whites, who lead the posts, have all the power.”

Congo Leopold Ii Belgium Congo Free State Belgian Congo Belgian Colonialism Belgian Colonial Empire Leopold Ii Ofbelgium

Author:Leopold II

“My rights to the Congo are not for sharing; they are the fruits of my labours and my expenditures . . . The adversaries of the Congo are pressing for immediate annexation. These persons no doubt hope that a change of regime would sabotage the work now in progress and would enable them to reap some rich booty.”

Congo Leopold Ii Congo Free State

Author:Leopold II

“België moet de hoofdstad worden van het keizerrijk België, dat met de hulp van God zal bestaan uit Borneo, eilanden in de Stille Oceaan, enkele plaatsen in Afrika en Amerika en eveneens gebieden van China en Japan. Ik ben voorlopig de enige die dit nastreeft, maar door de nationale koorts over te belichten, zal ik steun vinden en apostelen creëren.”

China Japan Congo Leopold Ii België Nationalisme Borneo Belgisch Rijk

Author:Leopold II

“It is a deep satisfaction for me to remember that i was a shade to smart for a nation that thinks itself so smart. Yes, I certainly did bunco a Yankee-as those people phrase it.”

United States Congo Congo Free State United States Diplomacy

Author:Leopold II

“A great future is reserved for the Congo, the immense value of which will soon become abundantly clear to all.”

Congo Leopold Ii Congo Free State Belgian Congo

Author:Leopold II

“Until the day of my death, in the same spirit of national interest that has guided me thus far, I will continue to lead and support our African work. But if the country should decide earlier to establish closer ties with my Congolese possessions, I will not hesitate to make them available to Belgium; I will be delighted if my country enjoys the full use of the Congo during my lifetime.”

Congo Leopold Ii Congo Free State Belgian Congo

Author:Leopold II

“The terms of the treaties Stanley has made with native chiefs do not satisfy me. There must at least be an added article to the effect that they delegate to us their sovereign rights, the treaties must be as brief as possible and in a couple of articles must grant us everything.”

Colonialism Congo Leopold Ii Congo Free State Belgian Congo Leopold Ii Of Belgium Henry Morton Stanley

Author:Leopold II

“You should purchase as much land as you will be able to obtain without losing one minute from all the chiefs from the mouth of the Congo to Stanley falls, i will send you more people and raw materials, and perhaps Chinese couriers.”

Congo Leopold Ii Congo Free State Henry Morton Stanley Leopold Of Belgium

Author:Leopold II

“In dealing with a race composed of cannibals for thousands of years, it is necessary to use methods which will best shape their idleness, and make them realize the sanctity of work.”

Slavery Colonialism Congo Leopold Ii Congo Free State Leopold Of Belgium

Author:Leopold II

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