Scime​ ​1
Foreign​ ​Intervention​ ​in​ ​Mobutu’s​ ​Zaire
The​ ​Congo​ ​has​ ​long​ ​been​ ​a​ ​country​ ​plagued​ ​by​ ​corruption​ ​and​ ​instability.​ ​The​ ​country
has​ ​suffered​ ​through​ ​civil​ ​wars,​ ​invasions,​ ​and​ ​dictators.​ ​One​ ​of​ ​the​ ​worst​ ​times​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Congo’s
history​ ​came​ ​with​ ​the​ ​rise​ ​of​ ​the​ ​dictator​ ​Mobutu​ ​Sese​ ​Seko​ ​in​ ​1965.​ ​The​ ​country​ ​was​ ​overrun
with​ ​conflict,​ ​and​ ​poisoned​ ​by​ ​corruption.​ ​Yet​ ​Mobutu​ ​was​ ​still​ ​strongly​ ​supported​ ​both​ ​fiscally
and​ ​militarily​ ​by​ ​western​ ​countries​ ​such​ ​as​ ​France,​ ​Belgium,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​United​ ​States.​ ​From​ ​the
Cold​ ​War​ ​Era​ ​to​ ​today,​ ​the​ ​Congo​ ​still​ ​feels​ ​the​ ​effect​ ​Mobutu’s​ ​brutal​ ​dictatorship​ ​had​ ​on​ ​the
country.
Mobutu​ ​came​ ​into​ ​power​ ​after​ ​overthrowing​ ​the​ ​first​ ​democratically​ ​elected​ ​President,
President​ ​Kasavubu,​ ​and​ ​Prime​ ​Minister​ ​Lumumba.​ ​Mobutu​ ​had​ ​help​ ​from​ ​an​ ​army​ ​of​ ​soldiers
who​ ​loyally​ ​followed​ ​him,​ ​after​ ​the​ ​government​ ​had​ ​raised​ ​wages​ ​for​ ​many​ ​jobs​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Congo,
but​ ​not​ ​for​ ​the​ ​military.​ ​Mobutu​ ​took​ ​full​ ​advantage​ ​of​ ​the​ ​power​ ​vacuum​ ​after​ ​his​ ​coup,​ ​and
named​ ​himself​ ​President​ ​of​ ​Zaire,​ ​the​ ​new​ ​name​ ​he​ ​had​ ​chosen​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Congo.​ ​This​ ​type​ ​of
overthrow​ ​of​ ​a​ ​newly​ ​established​ ​democracy​ ​is​ ​not​ ​an​ ​uncommon​ ​occurrence.​ ​In​ ​“The
Resurgence​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Predatory​ ​State”​ ​by​ ​Larry​ ​Diamond,​ ​Diamond​ ​explores​ ​what​ ​leaves​ ​young
democracies​ ​like​ ​the​ ​Democratic​ ​Republic​ ​of​ ​Congo​ ​open​ ​to​ ​such​ ​a​ ​vicious​ ​takeover​ ​by​ ​a
dictator.​ ​Diamond​ ​discusses​ ​how​ ​many​ ​young​ ​democracies​ ​like​ ​Russia,​ ​Poland,​ ​or​ ​the​ ​Congo
begin​ ​with​ ​corrupt​ ​or​ ​unaccountable​ ​politicians​ ​who​ ​are​ ​only​ ​in​ ​view​ ​of​ ​the​ ​short​ ​run.​ ​Diamond
believes​ ​that​ ​when​ ​there​ ​is​ ​a​ ​unestablished,​ ​weak​ ​bureaucracy​ ​in​ ​a​ ​country​ ​it​ ​can​ ​easily​ ​be
overthrown​ ​because​ ​it​ ​is​ ​unclear​ ​the​ ​layers​ ​of​ ​power.​ ​The​ ​Congo​ ​had​ ​only​ ​had​ ​one​ ​election​ ​as​ ​a
democratic​ ​state,​ ​and​ ​was​ ​left​ ​weak​ ​enough​ ​that​ ​a​ ​strong​ ​body​ ​like​ ​Mobutu’s​ ​army​ ​could​ ​easily
stage​ ​a​ ​coup.
Scime​ ​2
One​ ​of​ ​the​ ​most​ ​examined​ ​choices​ ​during​ ​Mobutu’s​ ​regime​ ​was​ ​how​ ​he​ ​handled​ ​the
economy​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Congo.​ ​The​ ​Congo​ ​was​ ​and​ ​still​ ​remains​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​countries​ ​most​ ​rich​ ​in​ ​natural
resources.​ ​Mobutu​ ​exploited​ ​the​ ​country’s​ ​wealth​ ​of​ ​diamonds,​ ​cobalt,​ ​and​ ​copper​ ​to​ ​help​ ​him
and​ ​his​ ​most​ ​loyal​ ​followers​ ​grow​ ​their​ ​personal​ ​wealth.​ ​Mobutu​ ​took​ ​part​ ​in​ ​what​ ​is​ ​called​ ​an
“extractive​ ​institution”,​ ​which​ ​in​ ​this​ ​case​ ​is​ ​a​ ​country​ ​who​ ​takes​ ​from​ ​the​ ​masses​ ​and​ ​gives​ ​to
the​ ​elite.​ ​This​ ​dictatorship​ ​was​ ​made​ ​possible​ ​by​ ​slave​ ​labor,​ ​and​ ​corruption.​ ​Mobutu
expropriated​ ​businesses,​ ​plantations,​ ​and​ ​mines​ ​from​ ​the​ ​wealthier​ ​rich​ ​citizens,​ ​which​ ​lead​ ​to​ ​a
large​ ​amount​ ​of​ ​“white​ ​flight”​ ​and​ ​can​ ​be​ ​pinpointed​ ​as​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​reasons​ ​many​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Congo’s
smartest​ ​students​ ​still​ ​leave​ ​the​ ​country​ ​today.​ ​(Meredith,​ ​2005)​ ​Many​ ​scholars​ ​question​ ​if
Mobutu​ ​would​ ​have​ ​been​ ​able​ ​to​ ​create​ ​such​ ​a​ ​harmful​ ​extractive​ ​institution​ ​if​ ​the​ ​Congo​ ​wasn’t
as​ ​rich​ ​in​ ​natural​ ​resources.​ ​​ ​Scholar​ ​Alina​ ​Helen​ ​Bredesen​ ​explores​ ​the​ ​different​ ​countries​ ​rich
in​ ​natural​ ​resources​ ​and​ ​their​ ​political​ ​systems.​ ​“​Some​ ​scientists​ ​argue​ ​that​ ​countries​ ​dependent
on​ ​natural​ ​resources,​ ​measured​ ​as​ ​the​ ​primary​ ​commodity​ ​export​ ​ratio​ ​to​ ​the​ ​gross​ ​domestic
product,​ ​are​ ​more​ ​prone​ ​to​ ​the​ ​onset​ ​of​ ​civil​ ​war​ ​and​ ​dictatorships.”​ ​(Bredesen,​ ​2009).​ ​This
journal​ ​states​ ​that​ ​the​ ​Democratic​ ​Republic​ ​of​ ​Congo​ ​is​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​areas​ ​of​ ​the​ ​world​ ​most​ ​rich​ ​in
natural​ ​resources,​ ​but​ ​that​ ​it​ ​is​ ​in​ ​no​ ​way​ ​correlated​ ​to​ ​the​ ​chaos​ ​throughout​ ​the​ ​country.
Bredesen​ ​shows​ ​the​ ​correlation​ ​between​ ​uprisings​ ​in​ ​countries​ ​and​ ​natural​ ​resources​ ​and​ ​finds
they​ ​are​ ​correlated​ ​to​ ​the​ ​duration​ ​of​ ​the​ ​uprising.​ ​However,​ ​in​ ​the​ ​case​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Congo,​ ​Mobutu
used​ ​the​ ​abundance​ ​of​ ​natural​ ​resources​ ​to​ ​steal​ ​from​ ​the​ ​land​ ​and​ ​his​ ​people,​ ​and​ ​participate​ ​in
private​ ​deals​ ​for​ ​his​ ​own​ ​personal​ ​gain​ ​using​ ​the​ ​country’s​ ​resources.​ ​(Meredith,​ ​2005)​ ​Mobutu
would​ ​not​ ​have​ ​been​ ​able​ ​to​ ​wreak​ ​such​ ​havoc​ ​on​ ​the​ ​population​ ​of​ ​the​ ​country​ ​without​ ​first
gaining​ ​the​ ​wealth​ ​he​ ​had.​ ​The​ ​money​ ​he​ ​made​ ​off​ ​the​ ​copper​ ​and​ ​diamonds​ ​he​ ​stole​ ​helped
Scime​ ​3
assure​ ​his​ ​power​ ​was​ ​safe​ ​by​ ​buying​ ​off​ ​government​ ​officials​ ​and​ ​policeman​ ​to​ ​protect​ ​him​ ​and
shut​ ​down​ ​any​ ​opposing​ ​views.​ ​Although​ ​Bredesen​ ​does​ ​not​ ​find​ ​any​ ​correlation​ ​between
uprisings​ ​and​ ​natural​ ​resources​ ​throughout​ ​the​ ​globe,​ ​the​ ​Congo​ ​is​ ​a​ ​special​ ​case​ ​where​ ​we​ ​see
corrupt​ ​leaders​ ​using​ ​the​ ​resources​ ​as​ ​a​ ​means​ ​of​ ​growth​ ​in​ ​their​ ​own​ ​personal​ ​power​ ​and​ ​wealth.
Many​ ​scholars​ ​question​ ​how​ ​a​ ​brutal​ ​dictator​ ​who​ ​caused​ ​as​ ​much​ ​harm​ ​as​ ​Mobutu
stayed​ ​so​ ​successful​ ​for​ ​so​ ​long.​ ​Often​ ​times​ ​dictatorships​ ​are​ ​shut​ ​down​ ​by​ ​other​ ​governments
in​ ​order​ ​to​ ​help​ ​the​ ​people.​ ​Mobutu,​ ​as​ ​evil​ ​as​ ​he​ ​seems​ ​to​ ​the​ ​world​ ​today,​ ​was​ ​beloved​ ​by​ ​other
countries.​ ​Mobutu​ ​helped​ ​turn​ ​the​ ​Democratic​ ​Republic​ ​of​ ​Congo​ ​into​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​world’s​ ​largest
aid​ ​darlings.​ ​(Meredith,​ ​2005)​ ​An​ ​aid​ ​darling​ ​is​ ​a​ ​country​ ​that​ ​is​ ​often​ ​given​ ​aid​ ​by​ ​the​ ​rest​ ​of​ ​the
world.​ ​Where​ ​an​ ​aid​ ​orphan​ ​is​ ​a​ ​country​ ​that​ ​is​ ​rarely​ ​given​ ​foreign​ ​aid,​ ​and​ ​often​ ​looked​ ​over​ ​by
countries​ ​like​ ​America​ ​and​ ​Germany​ ​who​ ​provide​ ​a​ ​large​ ​portion​ ​of​ ​foreign​ ​aid​ ​to​ ​the​ ​world.
Martin​ ​Meredith​ ​explores​ ​what​ ​makes​ ​a​ ​country​ ​an​ ​aid​ ​darling​ ​verus​ ​and​ ​aid​ ​orphan,​ ​and​ ​the
different​ ​factors​ ​that​ ​play​ ​into​ ​countries​ ​like​ ​America​ ​deciding​ ​where​ ​their​ ​foreign​ ​aid​ ​budget
should​ ​go.​ ​Meredith​ ​comes​ ​to​ ​the​ ​conclusion​ ​that​ ​countries​ ​often​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​their​ ​goals​ ​and
aspirations​ ​for​ ​the​ ​country​ ​they​ ​are​ ​giving​ ​aid​ ​to,​ ​especially​ ​when​ ​it​ ​comes​ ​to​ ​countries​ ​like​ ​the
Congo.​ ​The​ ​country​ ​is​ ​rich​ ​in​ ​natural​ ​resources​ ​which​ ​makes​ ​it​ ​a​ ​large​ ​selling​ ​point​ ​for​ ​aid,​ ​as​ ​it
usually​ ​increases​ ​trades.​ ​Countries​ ​are​ ​also​ ​given​ ​aid​ ​to​ ​create​ ​a​ ​way​ ​to​ ​have​ ​a​ ​sort​ ​of
pseudo-power​ ​over​ ​them,​ ​it​ ​could​ ​be​ ​argued​ ​that​ ​America​ ​gave​ ​aid​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Congo​ ​in​ ​order​ ​to​ ​try
and​ ​have​ ​some​ ​control​ ​over​ ​what​ ​Mobutu’s​ ​actions​ ​were​ ​with​ ​his​ ​people,​ ​whether​ ​successful​ ​or
not.​ ​However​ ​more​ ​than​ ​any​ ​other​ ​factor​ ​during​ ​Mobutu’s​ ​reign,​ ​the​ ​aid​ ​was​ ​dependent​ ​on​ ​the
Congo​ ​not​ ​becoming​ ​a​ ​communist​ ​country.​ ​The​ ​fact​ ​that​ ​Mobutu​ ​was​ ​brought​ ​to​ ​power​ ​during
Scime​ ​4
the​ ​Cold​ ​War​ ​hugely​ ​helped​ ​in​ ​keeping​ ​him​ ​in​ ​power​ ​and​ ​gaining​ ​the​ ​support​ ​of​ ​the​ ​United
States.​ ​(Bechtolsheimer,​ ​2012)
Throughout​ ​the​ ​early​ ​parts​ ​of​ ​his​ ​reign​ ​Mobutu​ ​did​ ​run​ ​into​ ​some​ ​uprisings,​ ​but​ ​they​ ​were
always​ ​put​ ​out.​ ​Mobutu​ ​had​ ​help​ ​from​ ​the​ ​United​ ​States​ ​to​ ​help​ ​ensure​ ​his​ ​rule​ ​continued.​ ​“But
when​ ​Mobutu​ ​finally​ ​seized​ ​power​ ​outright​ ​on​ ​Nov.​ ​24,​ ​1965,​ ​after​ ​U.S.​ ​help​ ​enabled​ ​him​ ​to
extinguish​ ​a​ ​series​ ​of​ ​regional​ ​uprisings​ ​by​ ​followers​ ​of​ ​Lumumba,​ ​he​ ​wasted​ ​little​ ​time​ ​putting
his​ ​stamp​ ​on​ ​Zaire.”​ ​(French,​ ​1997).​ ​Howard​ ​French​ ​is​ ​not​ ​the​ ​only​ ​scholar​ ​who​ ​thought​ ​this
way,​ ​many​ ​with​ ​him​ ​consider​ ​America​ ​an​ ​important​ ​aspect​ ​in​ ​Mobutu’s​ ​brutal​ ​reign​ ​being​ ​as
long​ ​and​ ​as​ ​successful​ ​as​ ​it​ ​was.​ ​Bechtolsheimer​ ​discusses​ ​how​ ​Mobutu’s​ ​dictatorship​ ​lasted​ ​the
span​ ​of​ ​four​ ​American​ ​presidents,​ ​from​ ​Lyndon​ ​B.​ ​Johnson​ ​to​ ​Jimmy​ ​Carter.​ ​Bechtolsheimer