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The Congo from Leopold to Kabila

A People's History

Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Published:1st Feb '02

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

The Congo from Leopold to Kabila cover

A political history of the Congolese democratic movement in the 20th century from a significant player in the country's struggle. Topics covered include: the brutality of colonial rule; independence in 1960; external inteference from the US; Mobutu's regime; and periodic warfare.

The people of the Congo have suffered from a particularly brutal colonial rule, American interference after independence, decades of robbery at the hands of the dictator Mobutu and periodic warfare which continues even now in the East of the country. But, as this insightful political history makes clear, the Congolese people have not taken these multiple oppressions lying down and have fought over many years to establish democratic institutions at home and free themselves from foreign exploitation; indeed these are two aspects of a single project. Professor Nzongola-Ntalaja is one of his country's leading intellectuals and his panoramic understanding of the personalities and events, as well as class, ethnic and other factors, make his book a lucid, radical and utterly unromanticized account of his countrymen's struggle. His people's defeat and the state's post-colonial crisis are seen as resulting from a post-independence collapse of the anti-colonial alliance between the masses and the national leadership . This book is essential reading for understanding what is happening in the Congo and the Great Lakes region under the rule of the late President Kabila, and now his son. It will also stand as a milestone in how to write the modern political history of Africa.

'Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja is one among those very few intellectuals who possesses the background, the knowledge, the commitment and the vantage point from which to assess the historical possibilities for contemporary Congo.' Mahmood Mamdani, Columbia University 'A leading Congolese scholar-activist, Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja, delivers his magnum opus. The book is the product of a lifetime of study of Congolese politics, both as observer and participant. The richly documented narrative makes clear why Congolese nationalism survives the collapse of its state, the many decades of oppressive rule, and the depredations of external forces.' Crawford Young, University of Wisconsin-Madison 'It is refreshing to have a well-written popular history of the Congo by a Congolese scholar and sometime activist' Choice 'Authoritative books in English on the Congo are scarce, so this work by a leading Congolese academic is welcome' Gail M. Gerhart, Foreign Affairs This book is the winner of the African Politics Conference Group (APCG) first Best Book Award 2003

ISBN: 9781842770535

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: unknown

320 pages