During the New Imperialism period in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Western countries in the Berlin Conference split up African countries to be colonized. The main goal of the colonization of the African countries was for economic gain. During this time, cheap human labor was utilized in order to maximize these economic gains. During the “Golden Age” of African nations in 1960, the DRC, like many African countries, was abruptly liberated and led to an internal fight for power within the DRC as a result of the abandonment. The inner turmoil that was created allowed for western industrial societies to keep taking advantage of the DRC’s rich minerals and keep using cheap human labor in order to benefit themselves. Even in present day,
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King Leopold, having colonized the DRC in the midst of the “rubber boom”, forced the natives in the DRC to work as slaves at the point of a gun (Spodek, 627). Daily quotas were instituted in order to maximize the daily work out of a laborer, and if the quotas weren’t met, they were subject to mutilation and the murder and rape of family members. Being recently released from colonialism, Belgium, needing to make economical advances in order to catch up with the rest of the world, continued to exploit the DRC’s resources, which included minerals and wildlife using laborers (Murhula, 13). Although some reforms in regards to human rights were attempted after King Leopold’s reign, Belgium continued to use little-paid labor in poor conditions in order to maximize their economic gain. Following Belgium’s lead, Private European and American businesses both invested heavily into the DRC’s resource-rich lands after WWI in 1918 (Britannica). The investment in the DRC’s resources further fueled the already inhumane labor conditions and forced even more victims into the world of illegal human labor (Gale). All the actions that Belgium committed provided Mobutu Sese Seko with an outline of how to lead his …show more content…
A UN report from the DRC stated that “through control of the military or other security forces, western companies use intimidation, threats, or they carry out selected acts of violence” (UN) in order to keep the human labor profits maximized. The acts of violence results in a vicious cycle of mineral extraction that drives national and international competition, promotes the exploitation of the Congolese natives, diminishes the DRC’s resources, and further drives more competition (Murhula, 13). The technology demands in western societies are ever growing, and this further increases the more human labor that is needed in order to meet the western societies’ needs. Although the western industrial societies are huge, the wealth of the western technology industries doesn’t benefit the Congolese miners for their back-breaking, perilous and poorly paid work because of the western industrial societies’ want for massive economic earnings(CNN). The western industrial societies, along with many of the western consumers, knowingly and unknowingly, have accommodated this practice since the early colonialism days, and they will both further create human labor including children in order to achieve the maximal economic gain until international
King Leopold, having colonized the DRC in the midst of the “rubber boom”, forced the natives in the DRC to work as slaves at the point of a gun (Spodek, 627). Daily quotas were instituted in order to maximize the daily work out of a laborer, and if the quotas weren’t met, they were subject to mutilation and the murder and rape of family members. Being recently released from colonialism, Belgium, needing to make economical advances in order to catch up with the rest of the world, continued to exploit the DRC’s resources, which included minerals and wildlife using laborers (Murhula, 13). Although some reforms in regards to human rights were attempted after King Leopold’s reign, Belgium continued to use little-paid labor in poor conditions in order to maximize their economic gain. Following Belgium’s lead, Private European and American businesses both invested heavily into the DRC’s resource-rich lands after WWI in 1918 (Britannica). The investment in the DRC’s resources further fueled the already inhumane labor conditions and forced even more victims into the world of illegal human labor (Gale). All the actions that Belgium committed provided Mobutu Sese Seko with an outline of how to lead his …show more content…
A UN report from the DRC stated that “through control of the military or other security forces, western companies use intimidation, threats, or they carry out selected acts of violence” (UN) in order to keep the human labor profits maximized. The acts of violence results in a vicious cycle of mineral extraction that drives national and international competition, promotes the exploitation of the Congolese natives, diminishes the DRC’s resources, and further drives more competition (Murhula, 13). The technology demands in western societies are ever growing, and this further increases the more human labor that is needed in order to meet the western societies’ needs. Although the western industrial societies are huge, the wealth of the western technology industries doesn’t benefit the Congolese miners for their back-breaking, perilous and poorly paid work because of the western industrial societies’ want for massive economic earnings(CNN). The western industrial societies, along with many of the western consumers, knowingly and unknowingly, have accommodated this practice since the early colonialism days, and they will both further create human labor including children in order to achieve the maximal economic gain until international