Alternative History Challenge: Make the Congo have BRICs type living standards by modern day

Redbeard

Banned
First the mythos about Belgian caretaking of Congo is greatly exagerated. It is not just the story of King Leopold's personal possesions in late 19th Century and a very famous novel about it - there was a time after. But even if it was almost as bad as the story tells, it would still be much better than the string of cleptocrats having misruled Congo/Zaire since independence. It probably is difficult to find a place in the universe being more misruled!
 
Have the Belgians annex the Congo right away instead of letting it become the "Free State of the Congo". OTL, King Leopold II cared nothing about the means to grab resources from the rich Congo. This resulted in millions of Congolese people and a massive decrease in their overall population. Had the Belgian government annexed the Congo immediately, the atrocities that plagued the Congo OTL wouldn't have been allowed to occur. While Mobutu Sese Seko was a dictator in several counts, I think Congolese citizens would choose him in a heartbeat rather than Leopold II. Seriously, the crimes committed in the Congo Free State make Idi Amin's crimes look amateur, and that's hell of an accomplishment. Have the Belgian government administer it from the start, and the Congo should have much more potential as a whole.
 
Top