A Reflection Essay Leopold s Ghost Essay - 1664 Words

Reflection Essay: Leopold’s Ghost King Leopold’s Ghost is a novel which reflects on the historical colonization of the Congo region and the subjugation of its people. The book gives a unique view on the characters involved, such as Henry Morton Stanley, who has frequently been praised by Western Society. The author, Adam Hochschild, also recounts the terrible acts that occurred in the Congo Free State under king Leopold II. He speaks about the underhandedness of Belgium’s role in obtaining the colony, and the massive deception scheme created by the king in order to subjugate 20 million people out of greed. Adam Hochschild starts his book off with a criticism on the exploration of Africa by Henry Morton Stanley. He says European explorers killed natives and were dishonest about their findings. King Leopold II is also described in the beginning of the book as an intelligent but mischievous king. His methods of obtaining the Congo region are underhanded, and he is painted as a man who deceives the world in order to amass his personal wealth. He claims Leopold II did this by lobbying governments and fooling nations in order to lay his claim to the region. Hochschild then continues on to describe how the Belgians used their superior technology in order the subjugate the natives in the Congo region. The use of the steamboat and the latest rifles, Hochschild argues, were the main tools used to conquer the land around the Congo river. Leopold II then continued to build onShow MoreRelatedOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesPHILADELPHIA Temple University Press 1601 North Broad Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122 www.temple.edu/tempress Copyright  © 2010 by Temple University All rights reserved Published 2010 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Essays on twentieth century history / edited by Michael Peter Adas for the American Historical Association. p. cm.—(Critical perspectives on the past) Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 978-1-4399-0269-1 (cloth : alk. paper)—ISBN 978-1-4399-0270-7