CONGO/ ZAIRE
POLITICAL
CHALLENGES POLICIES IMPLEMENTED SUCCESS OR FAILURE?
● Congo/ Zaire dominated by ● "Mobutuism" Failure:
tribal factions ● Corruption in all levels of
o Official ideology of government
● Needed to transition from Zaire "thought and ● kleptocracy
colonial government to vision of Mobutu" ● Mobutu and family amass
modern governance o one-party state wealth at expense of the
o Developed a people
● Political instability 1960 - personality cult ● Autocratic state
1965 o Opposition dealt with
brutally
o MPR only political party
● Mobutu seized power with
from 1967 to 1990
Western support
Why is secession of Kasai and
Katanga not a challenge?
Kasai had rejoined
ECONOMIC
CHALLENGES POLICIES IMPLEMENTED SUCCESS OR FAILURE?
● Zairean economy ● Industries and farms ● Failure: Nationalised
dominated by colonial nationalised industry and farms poorly
legacy. Little economic 🡪"Zairianisation" managed – returned to
growth. Many companies and private ownership.
industries given to his
● Dominated by poverty and family and friends
● Mineral prices dropped –
exploitation. (cronyism)
unable to pay foreign
debts.
● The Congo borrowed
● Foreign companies control
heavily from foreign
minerals – largely
companies to finance ● Inflation increased by
exported, little benefit to
nationalized industry 100%.
people
POLITICAL
CHALLENGES POLICIES IMPLEMENTED SUCCESS OR FAILURE?
● Congo/ Zaire dominated by ● "Mobutuism" Failure:
tribal factions ● Corruption in all levels of
o Official ideology of government
● Needed to transition from Zaire "thought and ● kleptocracy
colonial government to vision of Mobutu" ● Mobutu and family amass
modern governance o one-party state wealth at expense of the
o Developed a people
● Political instability 1960 - personality cult ● Autocratic state
1965 o Opposition dealt with
brutally
o MPR only political party
● Mobutu seized power with
from 1967 to 1990
Western support
Why is secession of Kasai and
Katanga not a challenge?
Kasai had rejoined
ECONOMIC
CHALLENGES POLICIES IMPLEMENTED SUCCESS OR FAILURE?
● Zairean economy ● Industries and farms ● Failure: Nationalised
dominated by colonial nationalised industry and farms poorly
legacy. Little economic 🡪"Zairianisation" managed – returned to
growth. Many companies and private ownership.
industries given to his
● Dominated by poverty and family and friends
● Mineral prices dropped –
exploitation. (cronyism)
unable to pay foreign
debts.
● The Congo borrowed
● Foreign companies control
heavily from foreign
minerals – largely
companies to finance ● Inflation increased by
exported, little benefit to
nationalized industry 100%.
people
