Portland Public Library

American imperialist, cruelty and consequence in the scramble for Africa, Arwen P. Mohun

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 247-306) and index

individual biography

illustrations

index present

non fiction

American imperialist

bibliography

Arwen P. Mohun

cruelty and consequence in the scramble for Africa

"The work of imperialism requires imperialists. But who were the everyday people who willingly served the traditional European empires? Why did they do things that ranged from thoughtless and amoral to criminal and unforgivable? With unblinking clarity and precision, Arwen Mohun here interrogates the life and actions of her great-grandfather Richard Dorsey Mohun, an American who abetted King Leopold of Belgium's horrific exploitation of the Congo Free State. Mohun details his careless and racist use of power, revealing him as an all-too-unreflective ambassador of American corporate imperialism. She seeks not to excuse Dorsey but to understand how individual desire and imperial lust fueled one another, to catastrophic ends"--, Provided by publisher

Prologue -- African connections -- Africa in mind -- The journey up-country -- Arab encounters -- The messy business of hero making -- A hero's welcome -- The consular life -- Infrastructures of empire -- Facts on the ground -- The truth about the Congo -- Manifest destiny -- After Africa and conclusion

Cruelty and consequence in the scramble for Africa