*Q 1. The impact of colonialism on Africa, and in particular its…

Question Answered step-by-step *Q 1. The impact of colonialism on Africa, and in particular its… *Q1. The impact of colonialism on Africa, and in particular its impact on the Congo, determine whether or not Belgium is responsible for the Congo and its devastation today? Do we in the US also “own” the Congo as well? Do both countries have a moral obligation to at least lead an international attempt to stabilize the country? Is it even possible to stabilize the Congo?*Comment on at your fellow students’ posts. Remember, commenting doesn’t mean just saying “nice job”. Give them your opinion. Have a discussion.students’ posts:A) Belgium is responsible for the Congo and its devastation today.  Before Belgium took control, the Congo was a sophisticated and well-developed territory.  They traded internationally with Asia and countries all around Africa.  But when King Leopold II took over, he forced the people into slavery and forced labor.  He committed cruel and torturous methods to get the Congolese to do what he pleased.  He committed mass genocide against the people which caused the population to decrease so drastically he had to be less cruel with his punishments.  It is estimated that around 10 million people died in the hands of Belgium control. I don’t think we “own” the Congo.  I think the US is responsible for the current state it is in right now, but the US does not really control the Congo.  I believe they do have a moral obligation to attempt to stabilize the country, especially Belgium.  They profited off a rich continent and in return put it under chaos.  King Leopold at the time made an estimate of $1 billion dollars from the resources of the Congo in today’s money, and in return they got nothing. I believe if countries like the US and Belgium decide to step up and help the Congo, it will help speed up the country’s process stabilization.  The Congo had gone through 125 years of war, bloodshed, and political instability.  It is not impossible to stabilize it but will take a lot of work and time.B) Belgium is responsible for the Congo its devastation. The forced labor system from 1885-1908 and colonial rule from 1908-1960 made it intensely difficult for the Congo to rebuild itself. Since then, the Congo has been through a series of dictatorships, civil wars, and other instability. It was shocking to learn that when Leopold first got his hands on the Congo there was a population of 20 million people, and by the end of 1920 the population dropped to 10 million. The legacy of colonization on Africa left devastation and consequences for its future. Belgium and the United states both have a moral obligation to lead an international attempt to stabilize the country. The Congo is a failed state and it is in need of international assistance. The country has a lot of natural resources and it is geographically located in a stable region. So, with the right international assistance, the Congo can be stabilized.C) The exploitation of continents such as Africa has unfortunately been a thing for a long time before Belgium got their grubby little hands on them but I do think Belgium was a straw that broke the camel’s back that resulted in the terrible state it’s still in today. Belgium saw that everybody else like America was exploiting them and sucking them dry of their resources so they decided to also hop on that train. America doesn’t technically on the Congo but they do have a diplomatic relationship with them after the Congo gained their independence from France. The Congo’s economic economy is one of the most unstable in the world so unfortunately possibly not.  History World History WORLD HIST 2424 Share QuestionEmailCopy link Comments (0)