1. The origin of the colonial phenomenon in Belgium and its main developments up until 1960; 2. The Congo and Belgium's domestic policy; 3. The Congo and Belgium's external position; 4. The Congo and the Belgian economy; 5. Belgium and the independent Congo.
This book explains how and why Belgium, a small but influential European country, was affected by its colonial activities in the Congo.
Guy Vanthemsche is Professor of Contemporary History at Free University Brussels (Vrije Universiteit Brussel). Professor Vanthemsche is also Secretary of the Royal Commission of History in Belgium. He is co-director of the Belgium-based journal Revue Belge de Philogie et d'Histoire.
'This is an important book that provides the first scholarly study
of the impact that the acquisition of the Congo had on Belgium. It
is an important contribution to the history of European
colonialism, but also to understanding the contemporary history of
the Congo.' Martin Conway, University of Oxford
'An indispensable - indeed unique - economic, social, and political
history of Belgium and the Congo.' Wm. Roger Louis, University of
Texas, Austin
'Guy Vanthemsche's exploration of the influence of the massive
colony at the very center of the African continent on the small
European nation that inherited it from a king with imperial
ambitions is captivating. Vanthemsche, one of Belgium's leading
contemporary historians, is perfectly placed to invert the
traditional studies of Belgium in the Congo with his meticulously
researched, thoroughly documented, subtly probing, compelling
investigation of how the Congo shaped the domestic politics,
foreign relations, and economic development of Belgium. Belgium and
the Congo, 1885–1980, rich in nuance, will be crucial reading
alongside the studies ranging from the gruesome tales of King
Leopold's Congo to the accounts of the politics of decolonization
in France and Britain.' Janet Polasky, Presidential Professor of
History, University of New Hampshire
'Guy Vanthemsche provides an authoritative and detailed account of
the history of Belgian linkages with the Congo, colonial and
postcolonial. This invaluable and richly documented volume is an
indispensable source for understanding both Belgian and Congolese
history. Balanced and judicious, the book is also an invaluable
guide to the published sources on this subject, which receive
exhaustive coverage.' Crawford Young, Professor Emeritus,
University of Wisconsin, Madison
'Having synthesized the political and economic dimensions of
imperialism in Belgium, Vanthemsche has written a well-documented
and fascinating work which will be a reference point for
historiographical research on Congolese-Belgian relations for
decades to come.' Ulrich Tiedau, European History Quarterly
'Vanthemsche has produced an important study of Belgian colonial
rule, which will be a useful source for future studies on this
topic. It deserves a wide readership among specialists on the Congo
and on European colonialism more generally.' David N. Gibbs, The
Journal of Modern History
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