King Leopold's Ghost Sparknotes

King Leopold’s Ghost is a staggering, yet distressing story about the period of time throughout the late 19th century and early 20th century in the African Congo, where a man and his heartless actions led to years of ongoing slavery, abuse, and murder. This man, King Leopold II of Belgium, was willing to do anything it took in order for him to get what he wanted. He had his eyes set on an area in Africa, called the Congo. Through manipulation and the courageousness of his followers, he came up with a plan that he believed would give him everything he desired. In the beginning of the book, John Rowlands is introduced. He was born into a poor family that had no honor, and grew up in a workhouse. Along with all of the other children who weren’t wanted and were disgraced upon, he was forced to work in a factory.

He believed that Belgium was too small, so he needed to find a place that he was able to take over, which is where his great manipulation comes in. Leopold knew that the only way people would help him was to make them think that he was doing it for humanitarian purposes. He would say that Belgium was colonizing Africa for the Africans’ sake. He also began to introduce himself as a philanthropist, meeting with priests and missionaries, and creating relationships with higher class aristocrats and politicians in London. Leopold gave everybody the impression that what he was doing wasn’t only for him, and by them thinking that he was a good person, he learned a lot of information that he needed. In one of his conferences with explorers and missionaries in September of 1876, the International African Association (IAA) was established, with himself as the chairman. Large donations were being sent to him as he prepared to take over the Congo, and with these donations, he was able to strengthen his country enough to be ready for what was to