In the Coracle

Book Summary: King Leopold’s Ghost (Hochschild)

May 10, 2008 //

King Leopold’s Ghost
by Adam Hochshild
Houghton Mifflin (1998)
225 pages

Description of the Book
King Leopold II of Belgium’s colonial claim to the African Congo at the turn of the 18th to 19th century came amidst other colonial expansion into Africa. Through the early 20th century, the Belgian Congo expanded rapidly and became a highly profitable enterprise for Leopold, but the human cost in forced slavery, dismemberment and social wreckage only begins to speak of the cost to humanity of this period in history both for Europeans and Africans, with social ripples around the globe.

Interpretation of the Book
King Leopold’s megalomania and sociopathy are fascinating to watch, but evil to behold. The stories and photos, the historical evidence that resulted in millions of deaths and multiple millions maimed and abused establish a historical image that is powerful and a crude warning to beware and to watch out for absolute power being wielded in any form, because absolute power certainly does corrupt.

Application
This is an outstanding and horrifying book. It is not often that I read something that makes me simply ashamed to be a human being. The horror of naked pursuit of greed, power and colonialism shocks me to the core.

The rawness of this describes the brokenness of humanity more deeply than I’ve ever heard. It’s the greatest proof that we need a savior, but not just individually. The Gospel story must make an impact in culture, and it must establish justice for the outcast, the outsider, the poor and the unempowered.

The horror of greed-driven colonialism continues today, and the impact of this stage of history continues in this part of Africa today, as reports of civil war and cannibalism continue. Very little is being said at the international level at this point. The story continues.