French Colonial Empire Quotes

“It is very curious to see how in China and Morocco the vanquished pay for the costs of the expedition that crushed them.”
― Leopold II

“Academics keep writing about the glorious slave revolt of Haiti (1791-1804). As if it still is the best thing that could have happened to Haiti. But it is the worst thing that happened to Haiti. Ever since the slave revolt against the French, Haiti has been in chaos. Massive human suffering, lasting destruction. Why celebrate that? But no: Let’s hold another conference on that fantastic Haitian Revolution.”
― Bruce Gilley

“It would never do, to renew the colonial experience gained in the sixteenth century, when Colonies were brought to ruin by those who pretended to fix in Europe, from a purely metropolitan point of view, their financial and administrative existence.”
― Alphonse Chodron de Courcel, Acte général de la conférence de Berlin de 1885