Coups Are Bad. That's All.
A dive into how Coups sustain Imperialism, as seen through the exploitation of the DR Congo.
I just finished watching a documentary called A Soundtrack to a Coup d’État. It was one of the best political films I have ever seen. The film was about a Coup carried out in 1960 while the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) was fighting for its independence. But it was more than politics. It was about culture, art, grief, pain, and passion, all wrapped up in the ugly, brutal reality of a Coup.
One of the most striking takeaways was the sheer ruthlessness of those in power. It’s one thing to read about, and another to see footage and firsthand commentary about it. One of my main takeaways was that institutions and individuals will do whatever it takes to protect or further their interests with no regard for human life. That is the essence of a Coup. It is a complete violation of national sovereignty, designed to extract, exploit, and strip a country of its wealth, leaving nothing but destruction in its wake. This is how the hegemony of global capitalism sustains itself.
Imperialism today is far more subtle. It is still rampant, but unless you know the signs, it is easy to assume it does not exist. Yet, when you realize that nearly everything in the modern world, particularly across the Global South, is built on the back of colonialism and imperialist intervention, it all becomes painfully clear. Then you peer into the world of predatory lending, and foreign intervention, and the signs of imperialism are unmistakable. It’s just been concealed better with the endless stream of double-speak and distraction.
Look at the DR Congo, its minerals, its labor, and its very people are extracted and exploited while human rights abuses are ignored or even enabled. All to fuel the excessive consumerism of wealthier nations and the insatiable greed of a select few. This is ongoing, and major companies like Apple and Tesla are beneficiaries. In that sense, they are quite literally built on the blood, sweat, and tears of the people of DR Congo. This is something we as consumers need to think about next time we think we “need” a new laptop, iPhone, or electric car. This is nothing short of slavery. Poor working conditions, lack of regulations, and even child labor are features, not bugs.
(this image captures the claustrophobic nature of mines in the DR Congo)
(this image is of child labor being used to mine cobalt)
And these images are what we can see. The unseen is where darkness is the most prominent. You may be able to guess what that entails, but let’s just say that the health, well-being, and autonomy of the Congolese people have been in critical danger for a long time.
Another phenomenon that hit me hard while watching the documentary, something I already knew but was now staring me in the face, was that there are no limits to how far these powers will go. There is no line they will not cross. UN ambassadors, politicians, CIA officials, and corporate elites all play their role. Bribery, blackmail, theft, deception, and assassination are ever-present features of their ploys to carry out a Coup. And it is precisely why any real alternative to their power structure is discredited, smeared, and labeled as a threat.
The DR Congo is one of the clearest examples of this. Sitting in the heart of Africa, it is a flashpoint for the prioritization of profit over human life. The assassination of Patrice Lumumba is one of the greatest tragedies because it is rare to find leaders who speak the truth and fight for their people. He ushered in a movement for independence and freedom for the Congolese people.
Even though they gained independence from Belgium in 1960, the DR Congo was never truly free from interventionism. That remains true to this day. Lumumba, Thomas Sankara, and Fidel Castro, who survived hundreds of assassination attempts, are just a few examples of leaders who were targeted. This is only the tip of the iceberg, but the pattern is undeniable. Leaders who prioritize their nation's wealth and resources in a way that benefits their people always find themselves under attack.
(Patrice Lumumba, the first Prime Minister of the DR Congo and leader of its nationalist movement, was assassinated in 1961, shortly after the country gained independence from Belgium. His killing was the result of an orchestrated plot involving compromised Congolese officials, Belgian mercenaries, and separatist Katangan authorities.)
For one reason or another, someone always has to intervene. Someone always has to meddle in things they have no right to be involved in. Whether it is for profit, power, or even out of spite, the level of deception, manipulation, and terror that unfolds is absolutely reprehensible. These countries feel entitled to land, to people, and resources. They believe they deserve them, as if on some personal conquest. It is disgusting to see the amount of effort put into undermining these beautiful nations. Colonialism and imperialism are rooted in this misguided philosophy that is both narcissistic and evil.
They fund and exacerbate right-wing groups to counteract any revolutionary movement. They oppose any attempt to nationalize a country's resources or reclaim economic independence. The justification for intervention is always the same. They claim to be protecting human rights, democracy, and freedom, or whatever flavor of the month they decide to sell to the public. It is pure projection. The intelligence agencies and political leaders pushing these actions do not care about human rights or democracy. They will say one thing and do another. It is clear from their brash and care-free attitudes that they do not perceive their actions as immoral and do not view the people they are harming as just that, people.
They hire mercenaries to carry out their manufactured counter-revolutions. Countries like the DR Congo, Burkina Faso, Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela all have real issues, but those in power exploit dissatisfaction, deepen divisions, and orchestrate instability. Across Africa, Latin America, and the entire Global South, the same aggressive tactics are used to suppress self-determination. When a leader is overthrown, they are replaced with a puppet regime that serves corporate interests and reinforces the global capitalist order.
Beyond political and humanitarian consequences, the hyper-consumerism and reckless behavior of wealthy nations have an even deeper impact on the Global South. These nations bear the brunt of climate change, suffering its consequences far more than the Global North, despite contributing the least to the crisis.
(Graphic of cumulative CO2 emissions. There is a clear divide and pattern between emissions in the Global North vs the Global South.)
This is why it is so difficult to see any real variance in the world. It is not just about political or economic systems. Though capitalism, as it exists today, is particularly vile, this could happen under any system. The real issue is the consolidation of power and the relentless drive to impose a worldview and pursue self-interest with no concern for the people being trampled along the way (check out my other post about consolidation of power). I want to emphasize that these are not just policies or accidents. They are choices made by those who built a system that rewards exploitation, manipulation, and the destruction of entire nations for personal gain.
So yes, Coups are bad. That’s All. Any form of interference or meddling in a country's affairs should be condemned unless there are legitimate humanitarian concerns. Even then, any intervention comes with immense responsibility and nuance. Coups are the exact opposite of that. They are reckless, destructive, and nothing more than an excuse for global aggressors to impose their will under the pretense of peacekeeping.
Ploys to overthrow countries are actively happening all across the world. Know the signs and always use your voice to speak out against injustice. There is power in truth, and that’s a tool that allows us to see through deception and help out however we can. Free DR Congo and any other country suffering under the throes of imperialist intervention. As always, thanks for reading and subscribe for more. Wishing you peace and love.
- Sain