The Addiction
Opium and the opium trade.
   Opium is a narcotic drug derived from poppy seeds. Opiates have many uses including the relief of pain, and they induce a state of euphoria. While opiates are used to this day in many places for pain relief they are an addictive drug that the body will form a physical need for the drug after repetitive use. Today a few common opiates are things such as morphine and heroin.
   As the European powers spread their influence throughout the world, the Chinese government, unlike other nations, refused to allow Europeans to trade and in many cases, to even see them. The British finally in 1793 were allowed to purchase things from the Chinese opening up the port of modern day Hong Kong only. The Chinese refused to purchase goods from the English and this created an imbalanced trade system with much of Europe's gold and silver being used in China and not returning. The British East India Company's solution was to introduce Opium as a recreational drug in 1825.
   Chinese consumed many times more opium than the British did, numbing the brains of the people and creating a large dependence on this resource. Angered by this the Emperor of China, outlawed the use of the drug and released many decrees to attempt to coerce the merchants to put an end to the drug which they believed was destroying their nation. After Chinese Commissioner Lin Tse-hsu sent a letter appealing to the British queen, one which was met with no reply, he acted and ordered the destruction of a large cache of opium, this action provoked the British who considered this destruction of private property. Commissioner Lin sought to prevent the war by offering to re-negotiate, but in June of 1840 British warships and soldiers began to raid China’s coastal cities.    Chinese forces attempted to repel the invaders but the British were better equipped, better trained, and defeated the Chinese. In 1843 peace with the first of the ‘Unequal Treaties’ was achieved and China paid the empire in gold, the island of Hong Kong, and she had to open up mainland ports to British merchants. This war showed weakness in the Chinese government, one which the British saw as not deserving rule. Other European powers and the United States of America came seeking trade, the Chinese again refused and tensions quickly rose. Joined by the French military, the British went to war again in 1856 to carve out the Chinese empire, which was also dealing with the Taiping Rebellion. Once again the Chinese were crushed by European technological superiority and they ceded more land to the British, French, Americans, and Russians, also allowing them to open embassies in Beijing which was once a closed city to foreigners.    The peace did not last and once again conflict broke out and the Chinese were crushed, ceding more territory, opening up more cities, allowing religious freedom, and legalizing the trade of opium. Due to the Opium wars China was a crushed country, the government was crippled, and there were ‘spheres of influence’ across the Empire which were controlled by the Western powers, and Russia. The Chinese government could no longer protect its people and early in the 20th century the Empire would fall giving rise to a republic, one which would also soon fall to a communist rebellion.Â
Bibliography
http://www.britannica.com/science/opium
http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/history/om/om15.htm
http://www.historywiz.com/downfall.htm
https://www.mtholyoke.edu/~goldf20s/politics116/effects.html
