Direct, structural, and cultural violence are the three types of violence that Johan Galtung, the “Father of Peace Studies”, had theorized. Galtung is a Norwegian theorist who developed a three-pronged theory of violence and peace. The three violences apply throughout the nineteenth century for when European countries started colonizing certain areas in Africa. Europeans came to Africa after the Industrial Revolution gained momentum in Europe. The countries wanted to economically surpass the nearby countries, so they needed more raw materials to fuel their factories and more people to buy products. They realized that the more natural resources and land they owned gave their empires more wealth. Their colonies brought technology, beliefs, and their languages along with them into Africa. Leaders of Europe met in 1885 and divided up Africa, which was the year King Leopold II started his reign in Belgium. The three violences impacted Africa in multiple ways.
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King Leopold II was a big factor of how direct violence impacted the continent of Africa. Leopold privately controlled a territory in Central Africa, which was known as the Congo Free State (CFS), that was seventy-six times larger than the size of Belgium. He manipulated the natives and other European powers into thinking that he was a humanitarian leader, so they could gather resources for his empire’s wealth. A Congolese worker stated, “We tried, always going further into the forest, and when we failed our rubber was short, the soldiers came to our towns and killed us…”. (Introduction: The Congo and King Leopold) Leopold had no mercy whatsoever towards the Congolese to the point where he got them killed if they did not satisfy his desire for wealth. This is one demonstration of how direct violence was applied throughout the nineteenth century in
King Leopold II was a big factor of how direct violence impacted the continent of Africa. Leopold privately controlled a territory in Central Africa, which was known as the Congo Free State (CFS), that was seventy-six times larger than the size of Belgium. He manipulated the natives and other European powers into thinking that he was a humanitarian leader, so they could gather resources for his empire’s wealth. A Congolese worker stated, “We tried, always going further into the forest, and when we failed our rubber was short, the soldiers came to our towns and killed us…”. (Introduction: The Congo and King Leopold) Leopold had no mercy whatsoever towards the Congolese to the point where he got them killed if they did not satisfy his desire for wealth. This is one demonstration of how direct violence was applied throughout the nineteenth century in