Why did king Leopold set uo quotas?

King Leopold II of Belgium established quotas in the Congo Free State primarily to maximize rubber production and profit from the rubber boom of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These quotas forced Congolese laborers to collect rubber under harsh conditions, leading to widespread exploitation and abuse. The imposition of quotas was part of Leopold's broader strategy to extract wealth from the region while minimizing costs, resulting in significant suffering and loss of life among the local population.