The Congo Racism And Industrialization

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The Congo Exposed: 1892 The “hell on Earth” I now know as the Congo is torn by racism and and industrialization. The Congo, situated in Central Africa, was first colonized by King Leopold II of Belgium in 1885 at the Conference of Berlin. With high demand for rare products, Europeans have turned to Africa to fill their incessant need for more. Returning from my four week trip to the Congo, I have seen the horrors that plague the black men, women, and children. False notions rooted from racism have hardly justified the white man's “superiority. The Congolese live trapped in work that can only be defined as inhumane and unacceptable. The black man, cursed by the very color of his skin, has suffered carrying his own burden, yet he carries the white man’s burden above his own. …show more content…

Natural resources found in the heart of Africa drive the European economy and are imperative for a wealthy nation. Rich soil and an abundance of water allow the Congo to cultivate mass amounts of rubber, copper, oil, and other minerals. As a result of high demand, the black man is expected to work at the rate of European industrialization; if he does not meet his quota, the punishment is severe. Now, rubber demands have skyrocketed because of the bicycle, a new mode of modern transport. The Congo’s largest revenue now comes from rubber, yet we neglect the black man who cultivates it. As a commodity, the black man is forced to work strenuous hours to keep up with uncontrollable production demands. Year after year, the Congo is stripped from its most valuable resources through unethical practices. Colonial regimes expose the true cruelty of European rule for the sake of economic

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