Colonial impotence : virtue and violence in a Congolese concession (1911-1940) /

In Colonial Impotence, Benoît Henriet studies the violent contradictions of colonial rule from the standpoint of the Leverville concession, Belgian Congo's largest palm oil exploitation. Leverville was imagined as a benevolent tropical utopia, whose Congolese workers would be "civilized&qu...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Henriet, Benoît (Author)
Corporate Author: Walter de Gruyter & Co
Format: eBook
Language:English
Language Notes:In English.
Published: Berlin ; Boston : De Gruyter Oldenbourg, [2021]
Series:Africa in global history ; volume 3.
Subjects:
Online Access:Connect to the full text of this electronic book
Description
Summary:In Colonial Impotence, Benoît Henriet studies the violent contradictions of colonial rule from the standpoint of the Leverville concession, Belgian Congo's largest palm oil exploitation. Leverville was imagined as a benevolent tropical utopia, whose Congolese workers would be "civilized" through a paternalist machinery. However, the concession was marred by inefficiency, endemic corruption and intrinsic brutality. Colonial agents in the field could be seen as impotent, for they were both unable and unwilling to perform as expected. This book offers a new take on the joint experience of colonialism and capitalism in Southwest Congo, and sheds light on their impact on local environments, bodies, societies and cosmogonies.
Physical Description:1 online resource (xiv, 191 pages) : illustrations (black and white), maps
Bibliography:Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN:9783110649093
3110649098
9783110652734
3110652730