In the 1980s and 1990s, the economic center of the country continued to shift northwards to Flanders with investments by multinationals (Automotive industry, Chemical industry) and a growing local Industrial agriculture (textiles, food). For some years ivory was a principal source of the great wealth that Leopold and his associates drew from the new colony. Killed her. Belgian Congo, 1908-1960 . I have family there and I can't be indifferent to the suffering I see there. He gave her tons of money, land, jewels, and even made her a baroness. The federal government ran a 7.1% budget deficit in 1992 at the time of the EU's Treaty of Maastricht, which established conditions for Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) that led to adoption of the common Euro currency on 1 January 2002. Moreover, in the early 1990s the government decreased its subsidy to the social security system. Is this a racist country? Back then the liberal union was known as the "Nationale Centrale der Liberale Vakbonden van Belgi". Apart from returning looted art, Nsayi said reparation policy could also cover updating Belgian school curriculums and trade treaties that benefit Congolese people. Most of this economic activity was controlled by foreign companies, such as the Belgian Union Minire du Haut-Katanga (UMHK), whose assets in 1965 were valued at nearly $430 million. Leopold's army mutilated or killed any African who didn't produce enough of these coveted, profitable resources. In 1930, the ACLVB-CGSLB adopted its current name.[27]. The European Commission negotiates on trade issues for all member states, which, in turn lessens bilateral trade disputes with Belgium.[20]. The port of Ghent, in the north of the city, is the third largest port of Belgium. The United States established diplomatic relations with the DRC in 1960, following its independence from Belgium. On February 5, 1885, Belgian King Leopold II established the Congo Free State by brutally seizing the African landmass as his personal possession. However, most of Belgium's government leaders and citizens did not want to spend the exorbitant amount of money that would be needed to maintain distant colonies. The region is one of striking contrasts: in the Condroz farms range in size from 75 to 250 acres (30 to 100 hectares), whereas in the Ardennes they are between 25 and 75 acres (10 to 30 hectares). Consequently, as German interest rates rose after 1990, Belgian rates have increased and contributed to a decline in the economic growth rate. During the 100-day genocide, hundreds of thousands of Tutsis and sympathizers were massacred at the hands of predominantly Hutu aggressors. I was born in Congo, and I also feel Congolese. Chalk and limestone mining around Tournai, Mons, and Lige, which supports a significant cement industry, is of greater contemporary importance. From 1885 to 1908, Belgian King Leopold II took control of the Congo. Here are some facts about Belgian rule and the two countries' difficult bilateral ties since. The photo was taken in 1904 at a missionary outpost in Baringa, in what was then called the Congo Free State. The country achieved independence 52 years later, in 1960. Today, Belgium is one of the richest countries in Europe. Congo was first taken as the personal property of the Belgian King Leopold II. Forage crops, barley, oats, potatoes, and even wheat are grown everywhere, but especially in the southeast. Belgium controlled several territories and concessions during the colonial era, principally the Belgian Congo (modern DRC) from 1908 to 1960 and Ruanda-Urundi (modern Rwanda and Burundi) from 1922 to 1962.It also had small concessions in Guatemala (1843-1854) and in China (1902-1931) and was a co-administrator of the Tangier International Zone in Morocco. He reaffirmed his profound regrets on Wednesday. In 2008, the per capita income (PPP) was $37,500. Manufacturing is the major economic activity in the provinces of East Flanders, Limburg, and Hainaut. African stakeholders were not involved in the negotiations. The trip was billed as a chance to recalibrate the relationship between the two countries after a dark colonial past. [20], Foreign investment contributed significantly to Belgian economic growth in the 1960s. 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With regional devolution, Flanders, Brussels, and Wallonia are now courting potential foreign investors and offer a host of incentives and benefits. Foreign investment led to considerable growth in the engineering sector of Belgiums economy in the late 20th century. "I would like to express my deepest regrets for these injuries of the past, the pain of which is now revived by the discrimination still too present in our societies," King Philippe wrote in the letter to the president of the Democratic Republic of Congo Felix Tshisekedi. Marchal, the Belgian scholar, estimates that Leopold drew some 220 million francs (or $1.1 billion in todays dollars) in profits from the Congo during his lifetime. Moreover, Belgium has a number of important manufacturers of machine tools and specialized plastics. These smaller unions tend to specialize in one profession or economic sector. * Belgium is yet to return thousands of Congolese art works including statues, elephant ivory masks, manuscripts and musical instruments looted by Belgian and other European collectors, scientists and explorers during the colonial era. After slavery was officially abolished in 1910, Congolese workers received a wage for their work in the mines and on the plantations. From the 1950s, a broad movement formed in Congo Belge to protest against Belgian foreign rule. Economic growth rose from 2% in 1984 to a peak of 4% in 1989. But while Belgium prospered from its African connection, Congo's story has been one of chaos and decline. But people should ask themselves where all this fortune comes from? Leopold II tried mightily to conceal this abuse from the international public. Some historians refer to this as a genocide. Mr Mobutu held it together while there were assets to spread around, but his successor Laurent Kabila had a more torrid time right from the start. Eighty percent of the crop is exported.[35]. They did not have much contact with Europe, but in the 1400s and 1500s one of the kingdoms had contact with Portuguese explorers. Since the largest concentration of population is in the north, there is a marked regional disjunction between water supply and demand. In January 1959, riots broke out in Leopoldville (now Kinshasa) after a rally was held calling for the independence of the Congo. In southeast Congo, the Belgians discovered large ore deposits and exported copper, tropical wood, cotton, cocoa and coffee to Europe. "Belgium Colonialism." Forced labour, corporal punishments, kidnapping, and slaughtering of rebellious villages were among other atrocities recorded during the period. The Democratic Republic of Congo is widely considered to be the richest country in the world regarding natural resources; its untapped deposits of raw minerals are estimated to be worth in excess of U.S. $24 trillion. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player. King Leopold II insisted that he would maintain this region as a free-trade zone, and he was given personal control of the region, which was nearly eighty times larger than Belgium. Copyright 20102023, The Conversation Media Group Ltd, Nicolas Maeterlinck/Belga/AFP via Getty Images, Lecturer in Environmental Art - School of Art and Design. According to the EuCham ranking the richest European country is Luxembourg with USD 90,790 per capita. It is an eye-catching centrepiece for an elegant park. This colonial racism continued in everyday life until the middle of the 20th century. For 126 years, the US and Belgium have played key roles in shaping Congo's destiny. Stones, principally specialty marbles, also are quarried. Belgium is the sixth richest country in the world: this has been confirmed in the recent edition of the Allianz Global Wealth Report 2016. Belgian Congo, French Congo Belge, former colony (coextensive with the present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo) in Africa, ruled by Belgium from 1908 until 1960. In the end, Leopold's own ministers took his private fiefdom from him and his vast territories became the Belgian Congo - to distinguish them from the French colony on the other side of the Congo River. Sixty years after Congo gained its independence, the Belgian king has expressed his "deepest regrets" for the suffering his nation caused as a colonial power. The national unemployment figures mask considerable differences between Flanders and Wallonia. The Legacy of Belgium's 19th and 20th Century African Colonies. How should Belgium reconcile with its brutal past? Here are some facts about Belgian rule and the two countries' difficult bilateral ties since. Uriel Sinai / Stringer/ Getty Images News/ Getty Images, Exploration of and Claims to the Congo River Basin, Independence for the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [citation needed]. The same report also demonstrates an increase in the global financial average this year. It is the first time that a Belgian monarch has offered any form of apology for the brutality, death and plunder that the nation oversaw after colonising Congo in the 19th century. The answer is that it comes from Congolese blood. For relations to truly improve, the Belgian state must acknowledge its historical responsibility more strongly. Firstly, Mobutu repeatedly pointed out Belgiums moral responsibility to the country resulting from colonial rule, especially in crisis situations. Following independence, the country saw a mix of unrest, rebellion, secession movements, a long dictatorship, armed conflict, and foreign . Much of the success of Brussels is based on the high educational skills of its workforce. Belgian Congo, French Congo Belge, former colony (coextensive with the present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo) in Africa, ruled by Belgium from 1908 until 1960. Curiously, Laurent Kabila did come to Brussels to meet the present Belgian King, but the days of European intervention in Congo's affairs are over. Each has helped shape the other. Belgian King Philippe and his wife Queen Mathilde recently led a delegation on a week-long visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Accounts of atrocities reached London and Brussels - including one which described how Leopold's enforcers had collected baskets of severed hands to prove they had been doing their work. During the conference, Belgian King Leopold II obtained international legitimacy for the ownership of the lands in what is now the Congo. Historically, Belgiums national prosperity was mainly dependent on the countrys role as a fabricator and processor of imported raw materials and on the subsequent export of finished goods. Millions are now refugees. The country, which entered slave trade in the 16th century, carried more than 3 million Africans beyond the Atlantic until it abolished slavery in 1833, according to data in the British national archive. Even the district largely rebuilt with European Union offices is dominated by an imperial Arc de Triomphe - a rival to the one in Paris. All three countries have experienced exploitation, violence, and poverty, but their rich sources of minerals may one day bring permanent peaceful prosperity to the interior of Africa. Brussels' GDP per capita is much higher than either region, although this is in many ways artificial, as many of those that work in the Brussels-Capital Region live in Flanders or Wallonia. The early 1980s saw the country facing a difficult period of structural adjustment caused by declining demand for its traditional products, deteriorating economic performance, and neglected structural reform. In the early 1890s, Leopolds private African army, the Force Publique (Public Force), drove the powerful Muslim slave traders out of the Congo. [20], Belgium's unemployment rate was 6.5% in 2008. Things quickly got out of control. The different current economic situations prove this historically generated discrepancy for which there must be a compensation. Private European and American corporations invested heavily in the Belgian Congo after World War I. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. The most important legacy of colonialism in Rwanda and Burundi involved the Belgians' obsession with racial, ethnic classification. The following table shows the main economic indicators in 19802021 (with IMF staff estimates in 20222027). As a possession of Belgium, the Congo Free State became known as the Belgian Congo. Then, King Leopold II came to power in 1865 and believed that colonies would greatly enhance Belgium's wealth and prestige. It is accessed by the GhentTerneuzen Canal, which ends near the Dutch port of Terneuzen on the Western Scheldt. More information about the Democratic Republic of the Congo is available on the . The country is yet to return to Congo a tooth, suspected to be the only remains of Lumumba, after his body was dug up by Belgian police in Congo and disposed of. Compare Standard and Premium Digital here. Brussels Monopoly game row 'ends in samurai swordfight' with man said to be fighting for his life, Belgian mother who murdered her five children euthanised at own request - on 16th anniversary of killings, How Belgian mayor faced down death threats to make his city's transport go green. Growth of the forest industry after World War II has been aided by mechanization, allowing Belgium to reduce its reliance on imported timber. Although some of that money was used for Leopolds little projects and settling debts, much of it went directly to his pocket as well. Or else they'll say that you're overqualified, even when you're saying that you just want the job, because you have to feed your wife and kids. In the letter, the king expressed his deep regret for the colonial injustices committed in the Congo. You can still enjoy your subscription until the end of your current billing period. After the takeover, the country was renamed Congo Belge, but the interests remained the same. Belgian-Congolese diplomatic relations were characterised by ups and downs during Mobutus reign. Like a lot of people, I suppose I am a mixture of Belgian and Congolese. In 199293, the Belgian economy suffered the worst recession since World War II, with the real GDP declining 1.7% in 1993. The Belgian economy also is inextricably tied to that of Europe. This dilemma was exacerbated by two aspects. [citation needed] In 2009 Belgium suffered negative growth and increased unemployment, stemming from the worldwide banking crisis. After independence in 1960 it was renamed Zaire and is now called the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Imagine how it would feel if they made a statue of him, and you had to walk past it every day. We have to teach this at school so the kids will have a different vision and will start looking at the Congolese differently. Antwerp is the first diamond market in the world, diamond exports account for roughly 1/10 of Belgian exports. He took Congo as his own personal possession and made himself rich. However, many countries and individuals had learned of these atrocities by the early 20th century. The port houses, among others, big companies like ArcelorMittal, Volvo Cars, Volvo Trucks, Volvo Parts, Honda, and Stora Enso. Farms, with their closed courts, range in size from 75 to 250 acres (30 to 100 hectares). The Congolese did not need people to come and rule them, but at the time it was presented as if King Leopold came to Congo to bring civilisation. However, shortly after independence, there was a falling out between the independent government and Western powers, primarily the US and Belgium. The Congo had just as much a civilization as most European countries during the 16. th. Annually about 2.5 million day tourists visit the city and in 2007 there were about 1.4 million overnight stays. Vlaams ABVV Socialistische vakbond in Vlaanderen Algemeen Belgisch Vakverbond ABVV", "Le march du travail en chiffres absolus", "GDP per inhabitant in 2006 ranged from 25% of the EU27 average in Nord-Est in Romania to 336% in Inner London", "Taux de chmage stable (20,6%) mais augmentation du nombre de chercheurs d'emploi sur base annuelle", "Report for Selected Countries and Subjects", World Bank Summary Trade Statistics Belgium, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Economy_of_Belgium&oldid=1152252013, engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, base metals, textiles, glass, petroleum, chemicals, machinery and equipment, finished diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs, raw materials, machinery and equipment, chemicals, raw diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products, This page was last edited on 29 April 2023, at 02:53. The Congolese were only allowed to visit the restaurants, bars and cinemas of white Europeans with special permission. [20], With 65% of the workers belonging to a union, Belgium is a country with one of the highest percentages of trade union membership. The harvesting of mussels is also an important industry in Belgium, with the mollusks being a popular menu item in restaurants throughout the country. As in other industrialized nations, pension and other social entitlement programs have become a major economic and political concern as the baby boomers approach retirement age. ThoughtCo, Jul. But he demanded and received a huge cash payment and other benefits from Belgium for "his great sacrifices made for the Congo." Again, the Congo people had no say in their fate. It was established by the Belgian parliament to replace the previous, privately owned Congo Free State, after international outrage over abuses there brought pressure for supervision and accountability. Brussels also has many commuters, with 230,000 coming from Flanders, and 130,000 from Wallonia. Charleroi features an industrial area, iron and steel industry, glassworks, chemicals, and electrical engineering. [19], Belgium's economy has capitalised on the country's central geographic location, and has a well-developed transport network, and diversified industrial and commercial base. Severed hands became the infamous symbol of the colonial state where officials brutally maimed those failing to deliver harvest quotas. The first major step Belgium took in internationalizing its economy occurred when it became a charter member of the European Coal and Steel Community in 1952. Belgium is a small country in northwest Europe that joined Europe's race for colonies in the late 19th century. The years of terror broke down traditional communities and created a long-lasting pattern of plunder. The Belgians believed that the Tutsi ethnic group in Rwanda was racially superior to the Hutu ethnic group because the Tutsis had more "European" features. The third shift is King Philippes letter to President Felix Tshisekedi on 30 June 2020, the anniversary of Congolese independence. Other industrial and service activities include car manufacturing, telecommunications, photographic products. This does not count the enormous amount of money paid by Belgium to purchase Free State from Leopold which was also roughly the same amount of money in today's dollars. Due to this brutality and European diseases, the native population dwindled by approximately ten million people. As of July 2012, however, the statistical unemployment rate in Brussels was 20.6%.[30]. He took Congo as his own personal possession and made himself rich. Premium Digital includes access to our premier business column, Lex, as well as 15 curated newsletters covering key business themes with original, in-depth reporting. However, agricultural activity in Belgium centres primarily on livestock; dairy and meat products constitute more than two-thirds of the total farm value. In 2002, then prime minister Guy Verhofstadt apologised on for Belgian involvement. Today in History. One of the founding members of the European Community, Belgium strongly supports deepening the powers of the present-day European Union (EU) to integrate European economies further. How much money did Belgium make from the Congo? The people of the Congo were forced to labor for valued resources, including rubber and ivory, to personally enrich Leopold. For a full comparison of Standard and Premium Digital, click here. The planted forests of the Ardennes and the Kempenland support Belgiums relatively small forest-products industry. Refineries, located principally in the Antwerp area, process crude petroleum. $578 billion (nominal, 2021 est.). During the 19th century, iron ore and zinc deposits in the Sambre-Meuse valley were heavily exploited. This and other socialist unions became unified around 1898. The doors are often closed to us. This problem is addressed through elaborate water-transfer systems involving canals, storage basins, and pipelines. Until his death in 1909, Leopold II never set . personalising content and ads, providing social media features and to century all the way up to the horrendous period known as the slave In October 2021, the Belgian parliament set up a commission to deal with colonial injustice. Their output is counted in Brussels and not where they live, artificially raising the per capita GDP of Brussels and slightly lowering that of Flanders and Wallonia. A rebellion broke out in several eastern districts in 1919 and was not suppressed until 1923. Indeed, Flemish and Walloon economies differ in many respects (consider for instance Eurostat and OECD statistics), and cities like Brussels, Antwerp, Lige, Bruges, Charleroi or Ghent also exhibit significant differences. organisation Its capital is Kinshasa, formerly named Leopoldville. Together with the Netherlands and Luxembourg, Belgium is also one of Benelux member states. Under pressure from Britain and the United States, Leopold turned over ownership of the Congo Free State to the Belgian government in 1908. The biggest union with around 1.7million members is the Christian democrat Confederation of Christian Trade Unions (ACV-CSC) which was founded in 1904. Some Belgian families still remember their relatives who served in Congo and the tradition of "Black Pete" - a clownish servant portrayed by white people in Blackface, helping St. Nicholas bring gifts to children - remains popular though is increasingly seen as discriminatory. Theres a dark history between Belgium and the DRC that started in the 19th century. Pixabay. Since the first official census by the Belgian authorities in 1924 put the population at about 10 million, it means that the King Leopold and the Belgian administration in the colony were responsible for the deaths of around 10 million Congolese. His rules weren't about working for a fair wage - oh no, this was forced labour, where the workers were treated like slaves. From then on, he was the private ruler of the tat Indpendant du Congo (Congo Free State), which was 80 times the size of his Kingdom of Belgium. Jean-Claude Ilunga lives in Belgium but is Congolese by birth and says it is time for the former rulers to apologise to Congo. Any changes made can be done at any time and will become effective at the end of the trial period, allowing you to retain full access for 4 weeks, even if you downgrade or cancel. Events Leading to the Scramble for Africa, Congo Free State Rubber Regime Atrocities, The Dutch Empire: Three Centuries on Five Continents, What Is Colonialism? And that was how he viewed the raw materials and the people of the Congo - as a prize to be consumed. The corridor between Antwerp and Brussels also has emerged as a major manufacturing zone, eclipsing the older industrial concentration in the Sambre-Meuse valley. Maybe burnt down your village. When it comes to the restitution of objects from colonial contexts, the Belgian government has allocated 2 million euros (about US$2.1 million) to research the provenance of the objects. Although reasonably plentiful, existing water supplies incur heavy demands from industrial and domestic consumers. Marchal, the Belgian scholar, estimates that Leopold drew some 220 million francs (or $1.1 billion in today's dollars) in profits from the Congo during his lifetime. Belgium has a free-enterprise economy, with the majority of the gross domestic product (GDP) generated by the service sector. They are trained in so many areas, but they are unemployed. On the other, the Belgian government had to respond diplomatically to the countless human rights abuses committed by Mobutus regime. And thirdly, Belgium must consider making some reparations. Rigorous monetary reform aided Belgiums post-World War II recovery and expansion, particularly of the Flemish light manufacturing and chemical industries that developed rapidly in the north, and Belgium became one of the first European countries to reestablish a favourable balance of trade in the postwar world. Although now a shadow of its former self, steel production and the manufacture of steel goods remain important. Belgium has a free-enterprise economy, with the majority of the gross domestic product (GDP) generated by the service sector. Belgium is the world's largest producer of begonias, planting 60 million tubers per year. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/place/Belgian-Congo, The Ultimate History Project - Belgian Congo, EHNE Digital Encyclopedia - Colonial Education in the Belgian Congo, University of Central Arkansas - Political Science - Belgian Congo (1908-1960). Many European countries wanted to colonize distant parts of the world in order to exploit the resources and "civilize" the inhabitants of these less-developed countries. However, thanks to Belgium's high personal savings rate, the Belgian Government financed the deficit from mainly domestic savings, minimizing the deleterious effects on the overall economy.[20]. In the early 1980s the government attempted to reduce the budget deficit; the debt-to-GDP ratio decreased as tighter monetary and fiscal policies were implemented by the central bank. In the Congo Free State, Congolese hands were sys- tematically amputated when enslaved Africans failed to meet quotas for extract- ing rubber. Against this grim backdrop, in 1982, Prime Minister Martens' center-right coalition government formulated an economic recovery program to promote export-led growth by enhancing the competitiveness of Belgium's export industries through an 8.5% devaluation. After international protests, Leopold II sold the private colony to the Belgian state in 1908. All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. About one-fourth of Belgiums land area is agricultural and under permanent cultivation; more than one-fifth comprises meadows and pastures. The Belgian Government encourages new foreign investment as a means to promote employment. Kill Or Defend Bron Valhalla,
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