A political history of the Congolese democratic movement in the 20th century from a significant player in the country's struggle. Topics covered include: the brutality of colonial rule; independence in 1960; external inteference from the US; Mobutu's regime; and periodic warfare. Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja is one among those very few intellectuals who possesses the background, the knowledge, the commitment and the vantage point from which to assess the historical possibilities for contemporary Congo.