E. D. Morel,The Black Man's Burden(1920)

Journalist, pacifist, and radical politician,E. D. Morel(1873-1924) led the effort to end slavery in BelgianKing Leopold II's Congo Free State. Initially a clerk for a shipping line, Morel came to understand the brutal nature of Leopold II's rule when he discovered that ships bound for the Congo carried only guns, chains, and other tools of control and oppression, but also returned to Europe laden with valuable resources such as rubber and ivory. In conjunction with other reformers such as Mark Twain and Arthur Conan Doyle, he established the Congo Reform Association in 1904. As a result of its efforts, the Congo passed from Leopold II's direct rule to Belgian rule and and became a substantially less brutal--though still exploitive--colony. In 1920, Morel published the bookThe Black Man's Burdenin response to the popular thinking embodied in Kipling famous poem, "The White Man's Burden."

Questions for Consideration and Discussion

1. According to Morel, could Africans effectively resist European imperialism through force? Explain.

2.According to Morel, what impact did "modern capitalistic exploitation" have on Africans? Explain.

3.Compare and contrast Morel's vision of imperialism described here with that advanced by Kipling in "The White Man's Burden." Which do you find more persuasive? Why?