“The economic crisis which weighs on Europe since the industry took such a big development, carries the nations towards the colonial companies. Belgium could not remain a stranger to this movement without seriously compromising its material interests; our King Leopold II understood this, and this is what determined him to substitute his individual initiative for the persistent inaction of the government and the nation.” Leopold IiBelgiumLeopold Ii Of BelgiumBelgian ColonialismBelgian Colonial EmpireBelgian ImperialismBelgian NationalismBelgian Patriotism Author:Alexis Henri Brialmont