--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In 1933-34, the Belgians conducted a…" description: "\"In 1933-34, the Belgians conducted a census in order to issue ‘ethnic’ identity cards, which labelled every Rwandan as either Hutu (85%) of Tutsi (14%)..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ed/philip-gourevitch-17484_administration_in-1933-34-the-belgians-conducted-a-cens_2952719.jpg" --- # In 1933-34, the Belgians conducted a census in order to… ![“In 1933-34, the Belgians conducted a census in order to issue ‘ethnic’ identity cards, which labelled every Rwandan as either Hutu (85%) of Tutsi (14%) or Twa (1%). The identity cards made it virtually impossible for Hutus to become Tutsis, and permitted the Belgians to perfect the administration…” quote by Philip Gourevitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ed/philip-gourevitch-17484_administration_in-1933-34-the-belgians-conducted-a-cens_2952719.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ed/philip-gourevitch-17484_administration_in-1933-34-the-belgians-conducted-a-cens_2952719.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ed/philip-gourevitch-17484_administration_in-1933-34-the-belgians-conducted-a-cens_2952719.jpg) > “In 1933-34, the Belgians conducted a census in order to issue ‘ethnic’ identity cards, which labelled every Rwandan as either Hutu (85%) of Tutsi (14%) or Twa (1%). The identity cards made it virtually impossible for Hutus to become Tutsis, and permitted the Belgians to perfect the administration of an apartheid system rooted in the myth of Tutsi superiority… Whatever Hutu and Tutsi identity may have stood for in the pre-colonial state no longer mattered; the Belgians had made ‘ethnicity’ the defining feature of Rwandan existence.” [Philip Gourevitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gourevitch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Colonial powers imposed ethnic classifications, turning fluid identities into rigid, oppressive categories that shaped conflict. **In simple terms:** Colonial labels created rigid ethnic divisions. Key Takeaway Recognize how imposed identities fuel conflict. Themes colonialism identity conflict Mood reflective somber Type historical analytical When to use this quote - historical analysis - education - policy making - human rights advocacy Key Concepts social constructionism ethnicity power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do imposed identities affect modern societies? - What can be done to undo colonial legacies? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex pre‑colonial social structures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Administration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/administration/) [Apartheid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apartheid/) [Belgians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belgians/) [Belgians Ethnicity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belgians-ethnicity-4458302/) [Cards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cards/) [Census](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/census/) [Defining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defining/) [Ethnicity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethnicity/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Impossible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impossible/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Labelled Rwandan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labelled-rwandan-4458301/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Myth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myth/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Perfect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect/) [Rwandan Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rwandan-existence-4458300/) [Rwandan Hutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rwandan-hutu-4458303/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Superiority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superiority/) [Tutsi Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tutsi-identity-4458299/) ## Related quotes > [I believe that the Belgians do possess some surrealistic gene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-de-clercq/i-believe-that-the-belgians-do-possess-some-surrealistic-gene/) [Eddy de Clercq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-de-clercq/) > [I'm just full of surprises." 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