Leopold established control over a foreign territory with the explicit purpose of advancing his own wealth, which is the definition of colonialism. The thing is, as a king, he didn't do it for the nation of Belgium, but rather for his personal gain. The Belgian government had little to no say in how he ruled what essentialy became his private territory.
As such, it's both colonialism and a single person at the root of this all.
UndercoverHouseplant t1_j6ma775 wrote
Reply to comment by BrushYourFeet in TIL that between 1895 and 1908 the population of the Belgian Congo declined by between 2 and 13 million due to colonial brutality and diseases caused by colonialism. by hetkleinezusje
Leopold established control over a foreign territory with the explicit purpose of advancing his own wealth, which is the definition of colonialism. The thing is, as a king, he didn't do it for the nation of Belgium, but rather for his personal gain. The Belgian government had little to no say in how he ruled what essentialy became his private territory.
As such, it's both colonialism and a single person at the root of this all.