RETURN OF THE WHITE MAN
"A State in the grip of neo-colonialism is not master of its own destiny. It is this factor which makes neo-colonialism such a serious threat to world peace." -- Kwame Nkrumah The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines imperialism as a policy of extending a country’s power and influence through colonization, use of military force or other means. Hans-Ulrich Wehler states that “imperialism was intended to flatten the extreme fluctuations of the business cycles; to stabilize national income; and create a mechanism whereby the uneven growth of the capitalist economy could be surmounted.” This is clearly evidenced because as late as the 1870s, only 10% of the African continent was under direct European control, …show more content…
He supported pan-Africanism and the liberation of colonial territories. He proclaimed his regime as “positive neutralism” which he defined as a return to African values, rejection of imported ideology (capital or communist) and control of nation’s wealth. His ideas of nationalism did not sit well with western powers who had economic interests in the Katanga mines and evoked comparisons with Fidel Castro of Cuba. One of the defining moments of his life and political career was the speech he gave at the Congo’s Independence ceremony from the Belgians. He spoke with conviction condemning the years of colonial rule and proclaiming a bright independent future for the Congolese people. He began his speech with greetings and proceeded to say; “I ask all my friends, all of you who have fought unceasingly at our side, to make this thirtieth of June, 1960, an illustrious date that will be indelibly engraved upon your hearts, a date whose meaning you will teach your children with pride, so that they in turn will tell their children and their children’s children the glorious story of our struggle for freedom. For though this independence of the Congo is today being proclaimed in a spirit of accord with Belgium, a friendly country with which we are dealing as one equal with another, no Congolese worthy of the name can ever forget that we fought to win it a fight waged each and every day, a passionate and idealistic fight, a fight in which there was not one effort, not one privation, not one suffering, not one drop of blood that we ever spared ourselves.” He ended the speech saying; “I invite all Congolese citizens, men, women, and children, to set to work to create a prosperous national economy that will be the crowning proof of our economic independence. Honor to those who fought for national freedom! Long live independence and African unity! Long live the independent and sovereign
"A State in the grip of neo-colonialism is not master of its own destiny. It is this factor which makes neo-colonialism such a serious threat to world peace." -- Kwame Nkrumah The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines imperialism as a policy of extending a country’s power and influence through colonization, use of military force or other means. Hans-Ulrich Wehler states that “imperialism was intended to flatten the extreme fluctuations of the business cycles; to stabilize national income; and create a mechanism whereby the uneven growth of the capitalist economy could be surmounted.” This is clearly evidenced because as late as the 1870s, only 10% of the African continent was under direct European control, …show more content…
He supported pan-Africanism and the liberation of colonial territories. He proclaimed his regime as “positive neutralism” which he defined as a return to African values, rejection of imported ideology (capital or communist) and control of nation’s wealth. His ideas of nationalism did not sit well with western powers who had economic interests in the Katanga mines and evoked comparisons with Fidel Castro of Cuba. One of the defining moments of his life and political career was the speech he gave at the Congo’s Independence ceremony from the Belgians. He spoke with conviction condemning the years of colonial rule and proclaiming a bright independent future for the Congolese people. He began his speech with greetings and proceeded to say; “I ask all my friends, all of you who have fought unceasingly at our side, to make this thirtieth of June, 1960, an illustrious date that will be indelibly engraved upon your hearts, a date whose meaning you will teach your children with pride, so that they in turn will tell their children and their children’s children the glorious story of our struggle for freedom. For though this independence of the Congo is today being proclaimed in a spirit of accord with Belgium, a friendly country with which we are dealing as one equal with another, no Congolese worthy of the name can ever forget that we fought to win it a fight waged each and every day, a passionate and idealistic fight, a fight in which there was not one effort, not one privation, not one suffering, not one drop of blood that we ever spared ourselves.” He ended the speech saying; “I invite all Congolese citizens, men, women, and children, to set to work to create a prosperous national economy that will be the crowning proof of our economic independence. Honor to those who fought for national freedom! Long live independence and African unity! Long live the independent and sovereign