History of the Origins of the Congo

The Democratic Republic of Congo has always had a tumultuous history.The Congo was officially colonized by Belgium under the rule of King Leopold II during the Berlin Conferences of European Powers from 1884-1885.

The King created a personal economical enterprise out of the country, forcing the native people into the production of exported goods - rubber latex in particular. Atrocities were committed against the people who did not meet their assigned quotas. They were whipped, tortured, mutilated and beaten. Villages were burned, pillaged, and women were taken hostage until the goods they sought were produced to the ruling’s satisfaction.

Leopold dubbed the country the “Congo Free State”- a falsely used name for the indigenous people. When news of these atrocities reached Europe, King Leopold was forced into submission. He gave Congo up as his own private domain and handed it over to Belgium as a colony.

This switch of power only signaled a new phase in Congo’s violent past. Belgium, much like its King, saw Congo as containing many resources to turn over a profit yet was a bit more humane in its actions. They enacted a colonial trinity over the land: the state, the missions, and the big companies.

The big companies served as a means of capitalistic gain, but also had a mandate from the colonial state to build roads, railways, and to aid in the policing of the native people. Although this was seemingly a public service, take this into consideration: the transportation systems in the Congo were developed for the single purpose of shipping raw materials and goods out of the colony. The missionaries created administrative networking through the land which aided in political control. However, the Belgian colonial government itself seemed to have little interest in the social infrastructure and quality of life for the native Congolese population.

Regardless of the Belgium’s views, the trinity developed the Congo into a model colony. The native language, Bantu, was even being taught in primary schools. This is a rare occasion for any colony under European rule. Yet, the Congolese people had virtually no say in their government. They were at the mercy of the Belgian Colony-secretary and the Governor-general had absolute power over the land.

Living in a kind of apartheid, the people of Congo grew restless and the resistence to their lack of say in their own government continued to augment. The upper Congolese class began the campaign to end the inequality within their homeland in 1955.

The Belgian-run colony gained its independence under the new name “Republic of the Congo” on June 30, 1960. It’s neighbor, the French colony of Middle Congo, chose the same name on its independence. Therefore, they were known for their capital cities, “Congo-Leopoldville” and “Congo-Brazzaville”. It has changed names twice since then, known as the “Democratic Republic of the Congo” in 1966, and the “Republic of Zaire” in 1971.