The Belgian Congo as a Developmental State: Revisiting Colonialism (Routledge Studies in the Modern History of Africa)

This book challenges assumptions that poor post-colonial economic performance is always a direct product of colonialism by reconsidering the Belgian Congo (1908â••1959) as a developmental state.The book demonstrates that despite the colonial systemâ••s economic exploitation and extraction, brutality, excessive taxation, and inequities, the Belgian Congo achieved successes in developing the economy in a short period of time. The Belgian Congo was able to achieve this by investing its higher rates of fiscal revenue in political stability, physical infrastructure, education, and healthcare. By reconsidering the Belgian colonial state as a developmental state, this book encourages scholars to adopt a more nuanced analysis of African history. Considering state capacity and state autonomy as key features of a developmental state, the book demonstrates that colonial state managers in the Belgian Congo were able to supply these public goods that sustained economic growth for decades. Whilst by no means glorifying colonialism or the atrocities that were conducted during the Belgian occupation, the book nonetheless outlines how different forms of capitalism were deployed to further economic development in the country. In contrast, predatory state managers of the Congo Free State (1885â••1908) and post-colonial kleptocrats (1960â••2018) have squandered Congoâ••s natural resources with disastrous economic and social consequences.Contrasting the Belgian Congo with colonies of settlement and other colonies of extraction, this book encourages researchers and students to reconsider the dominant narratives within colonial history, development, and African Studies. Cover Half Title Series Information Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents Figures Tables Abbreviations 1 An Overview of the Argument A Brief Historical Overview From the CFS to the Postcolonial State A Critical Assessment of the Belgian Congo Developmental State Political Constraints and Economic Development Plan of the Book Notes References 2 The Leopoldian State and Economy of Plunder Political Order and Rule of Law in an Absolute Monarchy The Army Or Force Publique (FP) European Administration, Traditional Authorities, and the Catholic Church State–business Linkage and Political Order Recapitulation Delivery of Basic Infrastructure Supply of Physical Infrastructure Social Infrastructure From Communal Property Rights to State Monopoly Revenue Collection and State Goals Tax Collection Nontax Revenue Taxation, State Building, and Economy Summary Notes References 3 Political Order and Rule of Law in the Belgian Congo Christian Missionaries Army and Police Colonial Administration and Rule of Law Summary Notes References 4 Belgian Congo and Basic Infrastructure for Economic Development Flexible Economic Planning and Delivery of Infrastructure Transportation and Economic Development Import Substitution and Metallurgical Mining Industrialization Supply and Consumption of Energy in the Development Process Social Infrastructure and Economic Development Summary Notes References 5 Property Rights and Economic Development Property Rights in the Agricultural Sector Property Rights in the Mining Sector Toward Independence and the Passing of State Financial Portfolio Holdings Summary References 6 Revenue Imperative, State Building, and Economic Development Revenue Structure and State Capacity Direct Taxes and State Building A Brief Overview of Indirect Taxes Non-tax Revenue Tax Regime and the IS Process Summary References 7 From Mobutu to Mobutu and Hubris Syndrome The Fragile First Republic (1960–1965) Political Order and Rule of Law The Army and the New Administration Traditional Authorities and the Catholic Church State–business Interactions Physical and Social Infrastructure Property Rights Under the First Republic Revenue Imperative and State Capacity Direct and Indirect Taxes Non-tax Revenue Mobutu and the Hubris Syndrome Against Economic Development Political Order and Rule of Law Party-state, Bureaucracy, Chieftaincy, and the Catholic Church Decaying Basic Infrastructure, State Collapse, and Underdevelopment Major Causes of Decaying Basic Infrastructure Mobutu Against Foreign Private Ownership Round II of the Belgian-Congolese Contentieux and the UMHK Social Justice Or Theft of Foreign Private Assets Revenue Scarcity, State Failure, and Economic Collapse Taxes and Non-Tax Revenue Summary Notes References 8 From an Anarchic to a Criminal State Political Order and Rule of Law The UN, the Military, and the Administration Traditional Authorities and the Catholic Church Impact of Political Instability On Economic Development Decayed Infrastructure and Economic Collapse Physical Infrastructure and Evidence Human Capital and Health Failure to Supply Basic Infrastructure in the Third Republic Property Rights in a Criminal State Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining SOEs and the Mining Sector Revenue Imperative and State-Building Summary Notes References 9 The Belgian Congo State in Comparative Perspective Better Institutions and Economic Development Supply of Political Order and Rule of Law Basic Infrastructure for Economic Development Physical Infrastructure Human Capital and Healthcare Property Rights Mining, Manufacturing, and Economic Development Revenue Imperative, State Building, and Economic Development Notes References Conclusion Notes Index "This book challenges assumptions that poor post-colonial economic performance is always a direct product of colonialism by reconsidering the Belgian Congo (1908-1959) as a developmental state. The book demonstrates that despite the colonial system's economic exploitation and extraction, brutality, excessive taxation, and inequities, the Belgian Congo achieved successes in developing the economy in a short period of time. The Belgian Congo was able to achieve this by investing its higher rates of fiscal revenue in political stability, physical infrastructure, education, and healthcare. By reconsidering the Belgian colonial state as a developmental state, this book encourages scholars to adopt a more nuanced analysis of African history. Considering state capacity and state autonomy as key features of a developmental state, the book demonstrates that colonial state managers in the Belgian Congo were able to supply these public goods that sustained economic growth for decades. Whilst in no means glorifying colonialism or the atrocities that were conducted during the Belgian occupation, the book nonetheless outlines how different forms of capitalism were deployed to further economic development in the country. In contrast, predatory state managers of the Congo Free State (1885-1908) and post-colonial kleptocrats (1960-2018) have squandered Congo's natural resources with disastrous economic and social consequences. Contrasting the Belgian Congo with colonies of settlement and other colonies of extraction, this book encourages researchers and students to reconsider the dominant narratives within colonial history, development, and African Studies"-- Provided by publisher This book challenges assumptions that poor post-colonial economic performance is always a direct product of colonialism by reconsidering the Belgian Congo (1908–1959) as a developmental state. The book demonstrates that despite the colonial system’s economic exploitation and extraction, brutality, excessive taxation, and inequities, the Belgian Congo achieved successes in developing the economy in a short period of time. The Belgian Congo was able to achieve this by investing its higher rates of fiscal revenue in political stability, physical infrastructure, education, and healthcare. By reconsidering the Belgian colonial state as a developmental state, this book encourages scholars to adopt a more nuanced analysis of African history. Considering state capacity and state autonomy as key features of a developmental state, the book demonstrates that colonial state managers in the Belgian Congo were able to supply these public goods that sustained economic growth for decades. Whilst by no means glorifying colonialism or the atrocities that were conducted during the Belgian occupation, the book nonetheless outlines how different forms of capitalism were deployed to further economic development in the country. In contrast, predatory state managers of the Congo Free State (1885–1908) and post-colonial kleptocrats (1960–2018) have squandered Congo’s natural resources with disastrous economic and social consequences. Contrasting the Belgian Congo with colonies of settlement and other colonies of extraction, this book encourages researchers and students to reconsider the dominant narratives within colonial history, development, and African Studies.