The story of the Congo is one of Imperialism and foreign governments imposing their customs, politics and language onto ancient tribal and ethnic divisions. The Congo has been led by a series of corrupt foreign and domestic leaders and its resources have been stolen by outsiders. Prejudice, racism and unfounded fears have tainted the perspective of those who shaped the Congo's history, leading to a failed state that has never seen peace, democracy or stability. Once thought of as "The Dark Continent", Sub-Saharan Africa has had a long and dreary road that never seems to lead to peace and prosperity. This is the tale of how the war-ravaged Congo never stood a chance in establishing its own democracy or gaining control of the wealth of resources within its boundaries.
The Simple History series is an ongoing set of stories presented in a way not often taught in school.
Epilogue: Leopold hired a man to give his deeds in The Congo a positive public image. When personal relations between them went sour, the publicist sold their correspondence to Randolph Hearst, showing the actual deeds of Leopold in The Congo and the resulting generations of atrocities that unfolded there.
