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EARLY BELGIAN COLONIAL EFFORTS - The University of Texas at ...

EARLY BELGIAN COLONIAL EFFORTS - The University of Texas at ...

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minister (probably)? Did it reach the king (probably not)? 139 <strong>The</strong>re was a gre<strong>at</strong> deal <strong>of</strong><br />

confusion and lack <strong>of</strong> clarity, not to mention disinterest, in terms <strong>of</strong> governmental<br />

oversight over these colonial adventures. This may account for the likelihood th<strong>at</strong> the<br />

document was read <strong>at</strong> the ministry but promptly ignored. <strong>The</strong>re seems to be very little<br />

indic<strong>at</strong>ion th<strong>at</strong> Leopold ever saw it, as he would have probably used its logic and<br />

method to push for colonial efforts. He certainly does not seem to have done this. It<br />

was an opportunity th<strong>at</strong>, properly used, could have changed the outcome. It was<br />

probably simply ignored and filed in the foreign <strong>of</strong>fice as the unsolicited work <strong>of</strong> a<br />

junior diplom<strong>at</strong>.<br />

author.<br />

139 Leopold never articul<strong>at</strong>ed any organized plan for coloniz<strong>at</strong>ion in any work reviewed by this<br />

76

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