The Berlin Conference and the Berlin Congo Act: Rewriting Africa's Rules

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Berlin Congo Act of 1885 — the treaty framework that emerged from the Berlin Conference. They discuss how the Act's principles of free trade, freedom of navigation on the Niger and Congo rivers, and the 'effective occupation' clause shaped the Scramble for Africa. The conversation highlights the role of key figures like Otto von Bismarck, who chaired the conference, and King Leopold II of Belgium, who manipulated the Act to secure his Congo Free State. They examine the Act's humanitarian clauses against the slave trade and its long-term impact on African sovereignty. Specific terms like 'basin of the Congo', 'sphere of influence', and 'uti possidetis' are explained in context. The episode also touches on the conference's omission of African voices and the legacy of partition lines drawn on maps in Berlin. #BerlinConference #BerlinCongoAct #ScrambleForAfrica #OttoVonBismarck #KingLeopoldII #CongoFreeState #EffectiveOccupation #GeneralActOfBerlin #FreeTrade #NavigationRights #SlaveTrade #UtiPossidetis #SpheresOfInfluence #ColonialHistory #19thCentury #Africa #EuropeanImperialism #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo