What conditions of the Belgian Congo motivated Conrad to write Heart of Darkness?
The Congo was owned personally by Leopold King of the Belgians – not a colony. He exploited the population ruthlessly to the same level the nazis exploited places like Poland. Example – each person in a district may be required to collect 20 kgs of natural rubber in a month. Failure resulted in a severe whipping if you were lucky. Alternatively you or one of your children could lose a hand or foot. His troops were required to bring back the ears of any people they shot to show they didnt use his bullets for hunting. If you think the Congo is in a bad way now, perhaps its history sheds some light on just why.
