What was the frame of reference for king Leopoldo of Belgium?

Answer 1

King Leopold II of Belgium, who reigned from 1865 to 1909, primarily viewed his empire through the lens of personal ambition and economic exploitation. He sought to establish Belgium as a colonial power, with the Congo Free State serving as his personal fiefdom, where he aimed to extract vast wealth from rubber and ivory. Leopold's frame of reference was heavily influenced by the prevailing imperialist ideologies of the time, emphasizing national pride and the belief in a civilizing mission, which often masked the brutal realities of colonial exploitation. His legacy is marked by both the economic gains for Belgium and the humanitarian atrocities committed in the Congo.