Chapter 1496 - 37: Settling Down

Chapter 1496: Chapter 37: Settling Down

Ernst supports the proactive actions of cities like Kitwe, and naturally, Ernst’s optimistic view of the development of the film industry is one reason.

In recent years, East Africa’s layout for the film industry has been in motion. As long as they control mainstream platforms, everything is basically fine. Not only domestically but abroad as well, the East African Government and the Rhein Royal Family have controlled a number of influential media outlets over the years.

Moreover, as an imperialist country at the beginning of the 20th century, East Africa doesn’t need to tolerate the infiltration of its culture and media by the United States, the global sovereign, like those late-developed nations.

The United Kingdom, as the current world overlord, its controlling power and institutional construction, are far below the level of the United States in the past, and it has lost further opportunities. Now, it can only preserve its own interests as much as possible by maintaining and retaining systems and rules beneficial to itself.

Unless the United Kingdom undergoes another industrial revolution for a complete transformation, or moves its capital to India, even then, it would be challenging to return to its peak. Not to mention, although India is sizable, the Indian Ocean is no longer a domain solely dominated by the United Kingdom. Now East Africa has the capability to curb India’s development.

Without overwhelming advantages, on what grounds can East Africa claim itself as the leader and great power of international affairs in the Indian Ocean region?

As of now, East Africa’s dominance over the Indian Ocean is basically a consensus within the international community, and there’s a significant probability that East Africa might achieve regional hegemony in the South Atlantic in the future.

This is precisely East Africa’s geopolitical advantage, unless third-rate countries like Brazil, India, or Argentina can rise. But past facts have shown that these countries have developed only moderately worldwide, far from being the top students, let alone matching East Africa’s excellence.

This is not East Africa boasting but recognition from the international community regarding the achievements of East Africa’s development over the past fifty years.

From a once inconspicuous East African Colony, it evolved into the foremost power on the African Continent and ranks among the world’s top great powers. East Africa’s success draws more attention than Germany, the United States, and Japan, which are also emerging nations.

This has led to the emergence of what is known as the "East African experience" within the international community, where a few ambitious individuals hope to replicate East Africa’s success, causing some colonial regions to become chaotic.

However, only East Africa and the Southern German Kingdom have truly succeeded so far. Even Leopold II of Belgium could be considered a semi-success, as prior to his death, the Belgian Congo was entirely his private domain.

After Leopold II’s death, the Belgian government officially took over the Belgian Congo.

The difference here is significant. Previously, as Leopold II’s private domain, he could act recklessly in the Belgian Congo. While the Belgian government is at least somewhat more humane than Leopold II himself, though not by much.

Recently, however, the Belgian Congo has also faced the situation of a growing tail that can’t be controlled, which greatly troubles the current Belgian government.

...

February 12, 1922.

Belgian Congo Colony, Black Horn City.

Influenced by World War I, Black Horn City has become more prosperous compared to before the war, rivaling any city in Belgium domestically.

Even Belgium’s capital, Brussels, has only recently cleared the war’s remnants after enduring the baptism of World War I.

As the economic and political center of the Belgian Congo Colony, with the additional status of the colony’s largest port city, Black Horn’s political status in the Belgian Congo compares to the sum of Belgium’s capital Brussels and its largest port city Antwerp.

Politically, as a colony, the Belgian Congo naturally places its political center along the coast, like other colonies, facilitating control by the sovereign country.

Economically, the Belgian Congo Colony gained significant war profits, becoming a haven for Belgian domestic capital during World War I, with substantial Belgian domestic capital flowing into Black Horn City and other Belgian Congo colonies.

Finally, a large influx of immigrants occurred, with many Belgians migrating to the Belgian Congo during the war.

This made the Belgian Congo Colony one of the fastest-growing regions worldwide during the five years of World War I.

By 1922, the population of Black Horn City alone exceeded seven hundred thousand, most of whom immigrated from Belgium to escape the war. The entire Belgian Congo’s population also surpassed one million three hundred thousand.

This is understandable; although Belgium is an inconspicuous small country in Europe, it has an astonishingly high population density, with a domestic population of more than seven million in its tiny land area.

During World War I, Belgium was the front line, constantly tugged by two major camps, leading to intense warfare and significant population outflow. As Belgian overseas territory, the Belgian Congo Colony became the first choice for many.

Thanks to the rapid development of the Belgian Congo Colony at the beginning of this century, the colony had a good impression among Belgians even before the colonial wave from the homeland.

Moreover, fleeing to the Belgian Congo Colony to avoid the war, even if the colony isn’t as imagined, there’s always East Africa as an alternative nearby.