The 19th and early 20th centuries saw European civilizations begin to diversify. This could be the result of sudden and widespread industrialization. They became aware of other regions of the world which, although inhabited by less technologically developed cultures, presented the promise of a perfect opportunity for colonization, that is, to spread European "civilization" to the peoples indigenous people in exchange for cheap labor and natural resources. Nationalist sentiment among major European powers such as Britain, France, Russia, and later Germany caused them to become extremely competitive, and each country strove to accumulate more territories from beyond -sea and to "spread civilization" to places like Asia and Africa, to achieve a real goal. unprecedented scale. King Leopold II of Belium has the dishonorable reputation of being one of the most brutal and cruel rulers of the 19th century, for his actions committed in Central Africa, mainly in the Congo. There are arguments defending these actions, claiming that his actions moved the Congo forward, modernizing and civilizing the Congo. The counter-arguments, and the one that will be argued in this article, are to show that King Leopold II committed rather unforgivable crimes against the people of Congo, this was done out of materialistic love for the wealth of ivory and rubber harvested. by forced labor. His actions during 22 years of rule in Congo can be described as too inhumane and unjustifiable. In order to illustrate the argument effectively, the essay will be divided into several parts for clarity and coherence. A historical foundation will be outlined initially in order to provide the reader with a backdrop behind the moral blindness of the leader, of the different parties which served as a base...... middle of paper ..... .ce Public (FP), a military corps made up of regular soldiers and mercenaries from other countries. Their mission was to campaign against the Arab slave trade in the Upper Congo and to protect economic interests. [16] The first major obstacle Leopold had to overcome in consolidating his new kingdom was the dispersal of Arab slavers living along the Lualaba River. By the 1860s, slaveholders were firmly established in the region and did not necessarily recognize Leopold's claims to the region. Since one of the goals of the Berlin Conference was to abolish the slave trade within Africa, slaveholders knew their livelihoods were under threat. This situation was complicated by a history of previous interactions in which slavers operating in the region had shown hospitality and friendship toward some European missionaries and agents operating in the region...