On this day in 1884, the "Berlin Conference" began when delegations from nearly every Western European country and the U.S. met in Germany to develop a set of protocols for the seizure and control of African resources.
The conference, which had no African representatives, was the first international conference ever on the subject of Africa, and dealt almost soley with the matter of its exploitation.
At the time, approximately 80% of African land and resources were under domestic control; the influence of Europeans was most strongly exerted on the coast. Following it, colonial powers began seizing resources further inland.
As a result of the conference, which continued into 1885, a "General Act" was signed and ratified by all but one of the 14 nations at the table, the U.S. being the sole exception. The Act's main features were the establishment of a regime of free trade stretching across the middle of Africa, the development of which became the rationale for the recognition of the short-lived "Congo Free State", the abolition of the overland slave trade, and the principle of "effective occupation".
The Conference's rapacious intentions for Africa were noted by outsiders: socialist journalist Daniel De Leon described the conference as "an event unique in the history of political science...Diplomatic in form, it was economic in fact."
Before the Conference ended, the Lagos Observer declared that "the world had, perhaps, never witnessed a robbery on so large a scale." Theodore Holly, the first black Protestant Episcopal Bishop in the U.S., condemned the delegates as having "come together to enact into law, national rapine, robbery and murder".
Berlin 1884: Remembering the conference that divided Africa
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mental health stuff journaling/venting a little cw: some grief stuff about my mom and some very big depression stuff
spoiler
today is gonna be one of those days where I am gonna just mentally check out. where I just sleep a lot, or daydream a lot while I don't want to exist. I know I shouldn't do that since it is pretty unhealthy, but I am also just sleepy as fuck and it's cold, and just warming up and being cozy in bed is nice. also like at least in dreams and daydreams, I can find things that I don't find much elsewhere. except like I can't do it all day since I do gotta do laundry, dishes and clean the restroom again. and just bleh. at least I won't have to worry about those for a little while when I'm done. but then it will get dirty again and rinse and repeat and euh. it seriously gets tiring.but just like. everything really tiring again. and I just don't really want to be here right now again. at least for today. I do feel in one way, weather plays a role because in summer and spring. I just want to get out and do stuff and be more active. but in fall/winter it's just hibernating time. but weather only plays one role, when there a few other things playing roles as well. since it would be nice if where I lived had more things to do. it's just. ugh. wish there was more to do where I live, but there's fuck all. and if there was, I'd have a reason to give a shit about like, fixing my sleep, and getting out there and doing things. and I just wish I had more people to talk to and more friends.
just whatever, I seriously hate fall/winter. things are just more isolating and dead. but these are seasons where I need to take care of my mental health since it's really easy to spiral down fast, esp. once winter is here. It might as well be. just ugh. also like my dad drinking does get worse during fall/winter to.
also like the holidays are coming up and it's gonna be kind of depressing considering my mom dead and she won't be around for that. I seriously wish it wasn't complicated with my mom. she was there for me at times, but there were times where she wasn't and was abusive. like it should be easy for me to hate her considering some of things. but I just can't and it just like. It's complicated. I dunno what else to say other than it's complicated. and sometimes I wish it wasn't complicated because then it would be easier, but it's not.
just like. I don't know. I seriously can't believe I'm still here alive, since like. last year I thought I wasn't gonna make it to the beginning of this year, and this year, I thought I wouldn't make it before June. but here I am as it's november now as I don't seem to be going anywhere. I kind of want to say that's unfortunate I'm still here, but my brain being like "no! it's good you're still here! stop being like that!" and thanks brain I guess. even if sometimes I feel like I don't deserve to exist. but then when I think that, my brain just like "deserve? just to exist? what grand authority is saying that? none. now stop it because you like anyone else deserves to exist" but then I start thinking like "that feels selfish, others have more of a right to exist than I do" and my mind then just like "it's not selfish just for saying you deserve to exist here just like anyone else" and okay I dunno why im arguing with myself on here now.
anyways like. yeah. today just gonna be one of those days.
i can't say i know your exact situation, but i definitely sympathize. winter kicks my ass when it comes to depression too.