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Imperialism In Congo

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The Democratic Republic of Congo has been experiencing economic and political struggles since the Belgian imperialists took over in the late 19th century. However, a more recent leader has caused strain to the countries already weak government. Joseph Kabila has been in power since 2001 and has stayed in power through rigging elections and using physical force. Many citizens of Congo have tried to rise up, but Kabila has used physical force to shut them down. Political corruption in the Democratic Republic of Congo was caused by an unstable government left by the European imperialists and has left the nation in poverty.
Political corruption in Congo is causing the country to fall deeper and deeper into In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DROC), …show more content…

Belgians ruled over the DROC, then the Congo, and used their natural resources for their own financial benefit. In Adam Hochschild’s book King Leopold’s Ghost, he wrote, “For Europeans, Africa remained the supplier of valuable raw materials – human bodies and elephant tusks. ...frequently described by the phrase that says more about the seer than the seen: ‘the Dark Continent,’” (Hochschild). Imperialism, in turn, has origins of its own. The Europeans at some point became more advanced with their tools and society than other civilizations. Because of their geographic location, Europeans were able to use tools and create new inventions faster than other groups of people. This allowed them to easily take over areas of Africa with their superior technology, (Guns, Germs, and Steel, Diamond). Because the European imperialists were able to control the Congo, they used the resources for their own financial benefit and did not choose to think of the citizens in the country. After leaving, the DROC was in shambles and its leaders did not do much to change their situation. This has caused a long drought of substantial

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