¿¡Regressive progress!?

Lenin's argument about imperialism being the anticapitalism is very convincing. The way that countries and individuals, such as Leopold II of Belgium, established companies and outposts in foreign countries was monopolistic--selfish and ultimately doomed to fail. To me the whole process of New Imperialism is a step backwards in time and progress. Europe had acted so fairly after the enlightenment; slavery was abhorred, and democracy and free trade were praised. Now however, the Europeans seem to have lost their sense of rationale. The monopolies that were created in hopes of benefitting select European countries led to a dissapearance of competition, as those who could employ the cheapest labour boxed out the rest. The carnage that took place in the Congo has always befuddled me, even when compared to other mass tradgedies; it shocked me further to realize that this event took place after such a progressive period.