The king's most eloquent campaigner... Emile de Laveleye, Leopold II and the creation of the Congo Free State.
The political economist Emile de Laveleye was actively involved in a carefully orchestrated European media campaign in support of the colonial policy of King Leopold II in Congo. This paper discusses de Laveleye's ideas about expansionism and colonisation, and shows how his contacts in the world of law contributed to discussions about Congo's juridical status.