“I undertook the Congo project in the interest of Civilization and for the good of Belgium.” Quote by Leopold II
“Nations that renounce ambition are nations with no future.” CongoLeopold IiBelgiumCongo Free StateBelgian Congo Author:Leopold II
“It is very curious to see how in China and Morocco the vanquished pay for the costs of the expedition that crushed them.” ChinaFranceColonialismLeopold IiBelgiumMoroccoFrench ColonialismFrench Colonial EmpireFrench Colonies Author:Leopold II
“You speak of my popularity, but it is out of the question now, and in doing so, my dear Prime Minister, I declare that I will not doubt between my duty and my love: a popularity based on deceiving a country about its true interests would weigh heavily on my conscience and that is a burden that I do not want to bear.” PoliticsLeopold IiBelgiumLeopold Ii Of BelgiumMilitary SpendingFranco Prussian War Author:Leopold II
“We prefer freedom with poverty to wealth with tyranny.” BelgiumBrusselsRound Table Conference Author:Patrice Lumumba
“He is as uncontrollable and crabby as one can imagine. Not to be understood, because neither his mother nor his father is like that.” Leopold IiBelgiumLeopold I Author:Leopold I
“Take a serious look at yourself. Ask yourself questions about your mood, the way you view the world and people, think about your mistakes and the dangers they unleash. Today the character of a person determines whether he can exercise influence and authority, far more than all the minds on this earth. As you know, this is all the more true in Belgium, and Belgians want to see in their leader the qualities they will never want from themselves. (Leopold I In a letter to his son Prince Leopold II)” HistoryLeopold IiBelgiumLeopold I Author:Leopold I
“You can find it on almost any tree. As we made our way through the forest, it was literally raining rubber juice. Our clothes were full of it. The Congo has so many tributaries that a well-organized company can easily extract a few tons of rubber per year here. You only have to sail up such a river and the branches with rubber hang almost up to your ship. (In a Letter to King Leopold II of the Belgians)” CongoLeopold IiBelgiumCongo Free StateBelgian CongoHenry Morton Stanly Author:Henry M. Stanley
“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.” CongoLeopold IiBelgiumCongo Free StateBrussels Geographic Conference Author:Leopold II
“I have only one goal and one desire, namely to give myself a practical instruction, to get to know the world and its inhabitants. There will come times when this knowledge will be of use to me.” Leopold IiBelgiumPrince Leopold Ii Author:Leopold II
“Trading posts and colonies, gentlemen, have not only strengthened the commercial positions of the peoples concerned; these nations owe their greatness to these institutions.” ColonialismLeopold IiBelgiumBelgian ColonialismBelgian Colonial EmpireBelgian EmpireBelgian Colony Author:Leopold II