1910 Encyclopedia Britanica

• As of 1885, Belgium owns all lands that don’t belong to the natives or that are not “effectively” cultivated by the definition of the Belgian agents and therefore also has a monopoly of ivory and rubber. Because of this monopoly and ownership of almost the entirety of the Belgian Congo, all natives of Congo were obliged to sell all produce to the state and the rights of natives as well as of white traders not directly connected to the state were restricted.  

• Protests were raised by raised by private trading companies in response to the violation of freedom of trade and exploitation of resources by the state. Such protests led to legislation leasing areas of state domain to private companies in exchange for a share of the company or its profits. However, these attempts made no headway in reestablishing free trade. Rather the legislation led to greater exploitation and ill-treatment of the natives, which would become the main problem of the Congo in later years. Ill-treatment of the natives was worsened by the private ownership of a large portion of land by the king of Belgium, Leopold II, which controlled by most valuable rubber region in the Congo.  

• Britain raised charges against the Congo state for their ill-treatment of the natives and the exploitation of the land that went against free trade but only one European nation responded to the request to help end such injustices. Protests continued however. Britain began correspondence with Congo, but Congo government denied all charges regarding either assertion.  

• A commission was sent to confirm the abuses made against the natives and the infringement of free trade. After the reports were confirmed and published, the commission suggested more trade among natives, limits of forced labor, liberalization of land laws, regulation of expeditions, and freedom of the courts from the Belgian government. Though King Leopold signed an agreement with the commission, he refused to disregard the original arrangements connected with his state and therefore little to no headway was made in response to the suggestions. Britian, joined by the United States, continued its protests against the state of things in the Congo.

• The Belgian Premier began negotiations to cede Congo fully to Belgium, which would alter the king’s hold on Belgium. Many protests arose in Belgium, but such negotiations also were seen by the rest of the world as a final forfeit of recognition. The treaty regarding cession was annulled and King Leopold was compensated for his personal lost of land; most lands were absorbed by the state, though a few parcels were kept by the king. Public opinion was against the colony in Congo due its financial drain and horrible administration, which later caused further annexation to cease.

• King Leopold saw his influence in Congo as a spread of civilization and the values lacking in such “barbarous communities”, so focused on violence and victory. The main goal of his colony in his eyes was to serve the philanthropic cause and spread peace to the violent nations of Africa so fixed on annihilation. The agents of the government were supposed to serve as paragons of “higher principles” and act as protectors of the lives of the natives and their property. Most of all these figures of authority were restricted from use of cruelty to impose their ideals. Rather, they were meant to be “benevolent teachers” in charge in inform the natives to the ideals of civilization.