The famous Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky once noted,“The world says: "You have needs -- satisfy them. You have as much right as the rich and the mighty. Don't hesitate to satisfy your needs; indeed, expand your needs and demand more." This is the worldly doctrine of today. And they believe that this is freedom. The result for the rich is isolation and suicide, for the poor, envy and murder.” This quote best exemplifies the ideology that enabled King Leopold the Second to exploit and destroy an area seventy-six times larger than Belgium itself.1 He did what no other man or country could have fathomed of doing at the time,. The origins of greed and his constant manipulation of perception created one of the most deadly periods of time in not just African history, but in world history. It is through the novel “King Leopold’s Ghost” that a modern
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First, there are many definitions of imperialism. Vladimir Lenin offers his definition in the title of his book “Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism.” He argues that if capitalism truly did improve the lives of all then it would not be truly capitalism because he believes that capitalism deals with the uneven development and semi-starvation levels of existence.2 It is easy to see the effects that under Lenin's definition, imperialism has left behind in Africa today.. It is to no surprise that in the 1960s, many newly independent African nations turned to the Soviet Union’s socialism in response to the imperialistic capitalism that they were subjugated to during the period of colonization. Indeed, Lenin’s definition is on full display in the mind of King Leopold the Second. In fact, King Leopold referred to himself as the Congo’s proprietor because his main interest in the colony was in extracting every possible penny of wealth from the
First, there are many definitions of imperialism. Vladimir Lenin offers his definition in the title of his book “Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism.” He argues that if capitalism truly did improve the lives of all then it would not be truly capitalism because he believes that capitalism deals with the uneven development and semi-starvation levels of existence.2 It is easy to see the effects that under Lenin's definition, imperialism has left behind in Africa today.. It is to no surprise that in the 1960s, many newly independent African nations turned to the Soviet Union’s socialism in response to the imperialistic capitalism that they were subjugated to during the period of colonization. Indeed, Lenin’s definition is on full display in the mind of King Leopold the Second. In fact, King Leopold referred to himself as the Congo’s proprietor because his main interest in the colony was in extracting every possible penny of wealth from the