Imperialist Ideology Quotes
Albert succeeded his dead uncle, Leopold, whose Belgian Congo colonization was particularly rapacious. His statement was a signal that the colonial abuses were to stop.
The reason that his quotation is memorable is that it illustrates how rapidly political norms can change. Here in 1872, there was general agreement that imperialism was undesirable. By the turn of the century—only 27 years later, imperialism would be the accepted foreign policy of the United States with only a minority holding to is undesirability such as Mark Twain and his Anti-Imperialist League.
Salisbury was not enthusiastic about imperialism, but was always warned that key members of his cabinet were, particularly his Colonial Secretary.
