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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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truths th<strong>at</strong> merit, no demand, their transmission by force or otherwise? Expressed more<br />

philosophically, “is man the measure <strong>of</strong> all things?”<br />

Was there something the “West” had or represented th<strong>at</strong> needed to be spread by<br />

word or by sword? Are there universal concepts, or to use the Pl<strong>at</strong>onic euphemism,<br />

“virtues” th<strong>at</strong> are inherent to all men so th<strong>at</strong> there is a need or quoting Jefferson “a<br />

duty”, to respond and spread them throughout the world? Or, quoting Lenin, is<br />

imperialism merely "the highest stage <strong>of</strong> capitalism” and this New Imperialism a mere<br />

economic and political exercise in power and arrogance?<br />

<strong>The</strong>re can never be a definitive analysis <strong>of</strong> imperialism which will yield a final<br />

answer to these questions. Continued historical inquiry does enhance both knowledge<br />

and understanding. This is a study <strong>of</strong> Belgium and its first king Leopold I in the years<br />

1830-1855, a period before the New Imperialism. Why then is it <strong>of</strong> any value as a tool<br />

<strong>of</strong> analysis <strong>of</strong> the New Imperialism, decades before it took place? Because Belgium, its<br />

king, government and sense <strong>of</strong> n<strong>at</strong>ionhood were new. Yet, within a few years <strong>of</strong> its<br />

cre<strong>at</strong>ion in 1830 its king <strong>at</strong> least viewed the world through the eyes <strong>of</strong> an imperialist. Its<br />

very newness and rel<strong>at</strong>ive openness <strong>of</strong> its government allows the historian to poke<br />

around, so to speak. This is especially so in view <strong>of</strong> the l<strong>at</strong>er overwhelmingly successful<br />

imperialism <strong>of</strong> its second king Leopold II in the Congo Free St<strong>at</strong>e.<br />

This is an inquiry into four examples <strong>of</strong> early Belgian colonial efforts in the<br />

Republic <strong>of</strong> <strong>Texas</strong>, Gu<strong>at</strong>emala, Brazil and the Rio Nunez River in present day Guinea.<br />

<strong>The</strong> method employed is th<strong>at</strong> <strong>of</strong> a historical inquiry into the event and then an analysis<br />

<strong>of</strong> the effort by the political, economic, social and scientific causes <strong>of</strong> the New<br />

ix

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