Politics and governance September 2010 No 5 (2 nd ed) The origins of crisis in Congo’s political economy have their roots in the patrimonial system put in place by King Leop- old II. The Belgian monarch claimed the country as his per- sonal property in 1885 to extract rubber and ivory. President Mobutu exploited natural resources in a similar patrimonial style a century later. He institutionalised corruption under his famous “fend for yourself” slogan (débrouillez-vous). The