King Leopold's Ghost Summary

The objective of colonialism and imperialism was for colonies to gain political power and wealth. “For Leopold, colonies existed for one purpose: to make him and his country rich.” Adam Hochschild’s original book, King Leopold’s Ghost explains land grabbing in Africa during the nineteenth century. Leopold wanted Congo as his own territory to benefit from the resources such as minerals. The king ruled the Africans using terror and tortured them when they disobeyed his orders. Heroic efforts by Mark Twain and Archbishop of Canterbury to expose the inhumane crimes committed by Leopold resulted to the first human activists of the twentieth century. The book narrates the story of King Leopold II of Belgium and his tyrannical rule in Congo. It was

a wild and hostile rule of Belgium ruler’s capacity for wickedness and the weird manifestations. The success of the colonial rule by Belgium in Congo was facilitated by tricks, lies, and political manipulations.
In King Leopold’s Ghost, Adam Hochschild provides a detailed historical account of the individuals who facilitated genocide in the Congo territory. He discusses people who committed their lives to stop further genocide. It also explains the efforts of missionaries, diplomats and local villagers to rebel the tyrannical rule of King Leopold. He explains the situation in Congo under the reign of Belgium ruler to the rest of the world. It is an interesting book that the author uses sources wisely to assess how the mass killings, racism, slavery and abuses occurred in the territory.
The theme of power and wealth is reflected in King Leopold’s rule in Congo. The Belgium ruler became rich after hostile exploitation and the forcible extraction of high quantities of ivory and shiploads of rubber from the territory. The power of a colony was determined by the number of territories it administered. Additionally, the theme of truth and deception is evident in the book. The king lied to the religious leaders, missionaries, and Americans that he was a humanitarian who wanted to help Africans become financially stable like the Europeans. Moreover, he argued that he wanted to protect Africans from the Arab traders. King Leopold II supported forced labor when he stated it was the only way to civilize and uplift indolent and corrupt peoples of the Far East. In reality, the king used the capital to pay a private army of soldiers known as Force Publique and acquire lands in Congo. Leopold acquired this territory with the assistance of his partner and explorer Henry Morton Stanley, who discovered the region. The people became confused which information was true or false. In addition, the theme of slavery and racism is addressed in the book. The Belgium ruler exploited Congolese as slaves to collect ivory and rubber for him to sell in various museums and companies. Furthermore, he felt that Congolese were inferior compared to Europeans because of skin color. He saw that the Africans were uncivilized and slightly better than the wild animals.
Hochschild’s book is a compelling narrative written in an eloquent style, one that chronicles a conveniently forgotten massacre that stains the pages of world history.

The vivid description of themes, characters, and plot help the audience understand the Belgium rule in the territory. Hochschild addresses the deceitful commanding character of Belgium ruler and violent character of Stanley. The writing style of the author is equivalent to the production of a film or play. He says, “It is just the opening Leopold has been waiting for. Stage and star have appeared, and the play can begin.” He connects well with the audience from chapter to chapter introducing the preceding topic in conjunction with the previous. This format of writing increases the fluency and readability of the

book.
The King Leopold’s Ghost is a powerful, thoroughly researched book, which provides a clear account of one of the darkest moments in the history of Africa. A lot of archival work is acknowledged in the pages of the historical information contained in the book. He attempted to include testimonies by Africans because they lacked in his book. It contains comprehensive evidence from different sources spanning from missionaries to Leopold’s own commission that strived to hide the whole inhumane experience he subjected the Congolese through.
King Leopold’s Ghost has been vital in revealing the harsh reality of colonialism under the Belgians. Historical contexts have been critical to disclose the killings committed by King Leopold’s partners to burn and exploit the resources of Congo which explains the death of millions of Congolese natives. This is a representation of law-breaking of a genocidal scale having long-term effects on Congo and Congolese to date. It signifies the impact of British colonialism on Congo. Hochschild delivers his own evaluation through his character, Mark Twain. We realize that Twain learns of the actual objectives and inhumane tactics of King Leopold while he is traveling to spread religion in Congo.
The book by Adam Hochschild made a significant contribution to the field of African history. It explains the series of historical events from Leopold’s death, Belgium’s control of Congo, the killing of Patrice Lumumba, and the reign of Mobutu. The brutal rule is evident in the African history where the Congolese were exploited as slaves, starved to death, tortured, and kidnapped. The book is a reflection of the past and narrates how people should recall history and not allow it to repeat itself. The Belgium rule in Congo is a history that deserves to be remembered and Hochschild revives it. It is the only way to honor the ghosts of the departed, by recognizing what they endured under the colonialists.
Hochschild’s view of Congolese history is biased because of lack of Congolese voices. However, he attempts to counterbalance his historiographical issues in two key ways. Firstly, he reads thoroughly the Belgian administrators’ accounts of revolts to reflect the vivid portraits of the Congolese freedom fighters. He provides a version of history that respects the Congolese for their courage and intelligence. Secondly, he provides a thorough, comprehensive account of Belgium brutality in the territory. Belgium officials did not attempt to scrutinize their actions.
The book by Hochschild has a weakness in the rich depiction of the European characters.

The story of the Congolese is not equivalent to those of European irrespective of whether they are villains or heroes. The author remembered the death of African voices in the archives of African history during the nineteenth century. He strives to include a few African voices from the period of Belgium rule. For instance, the African King Affonso I and his emotional letter to the Portuguese monarchy on behalf of his community. In addition, the individuals such as missionaries and diplomats who resisted the Force Publique. Moreover, he included individuals such as William Sheppard and George Washington Williams, who spent most of their time stopping and disrespecting the way of life of native people. It appears that this weakness in Hochschild’s work is unavoidable given the historical situation of the period he studied. In this scenario, it is a weakness shared by all persons who read from places of Western privilege and power and a tragic loss that should be

mourned.
Hochschild attempts to revive the actual horror story that the Congolese endured under the reign of King Leopold. It is clear that Hochchild wanted to show the brutality of Leopold. It is vital for people to learn from the dangers of the governments characterized by misuse of authority and greed. Hochschild states that the concept of full human rights was an immense threat to the established order of a majority of countries on earth. I would recommend the book to students and book fanatics who are interested in understanding Belgium colonialism in Congo.

Bibliography
Collins, Robert O., and James M. Burns. "Exploitation or Development." In Historical problems of imperial Africa, 2nd ed., 48. New Jersey: Markus Wiener Publishers, 2014.
Hochschild, Adam. King Leopold's ghost: A story of greed, terror, and heroism in colonial Africa. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1999.