Adam-hochschild Quote by Bruce Gilley
““Hochschild is correct that the demographer Léon de St. Moulin assayed the 50 percent decline possibility (in 1987 and 1990 works). But Hochschild fails to mention that Moulin, like the later Vansina, believed that the EIC and rubber had nothing to do with it. The causes for Moulin were, in order, sleeping sickness, smallpox, Spanish flu, and venereal diseases. Moulin did not even mention the EIC or rubber in his 1990 chapter. Like the later Vansina, he recognized that these were footnotes in the demographic history of the Congo.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Historical Demography of the Congo, 2021
An argument that disease, not colonial exploitation, primarily caused demographic decline, challenging narratives that blame the EIC or rubber trade.
In simple terms: Disease, not colonial trade, drove population loss.
Key Takeaway
Consider multiple causes in historical analysis.
Themes
history
demography
colonialism
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
historical
analytical
When to use this quote
- academic debates
- public health policy
- education curricula
Key Concepts
epidemiology
economic exploitation
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we balance disease and exploitation in history?
- What evidence supports each view?
A Different Perspective
May downplay economic exploitation’s impact.
