Imagine what the world might be like had China not entered into a protracted war with Great Britain in the 1800s … a war that resulted from Great Britain’s smuggling opium into the country:
Ordinary wars of conquest are to me far less wicked, than to go to war in order to maintain smuggling, and that smuggling consisting in the introduction of a demoralizing drug, which the government of China wishes to keep out, and which we, for the lucre of gain, want to introduce by force; and in this quarrel are going to burn and slay in the pride of our supposed superiority. — Thomas Arnold to W. W. Hull, March 18, 1840
The Chinese appealed to Queen Victoria to end the smuggling:
Consequently there are those who smuggle opium to seduce the Chinese people and so cause the spread of the poison to all provinces. Such persons who only care to profit themselves, and disregard their harm to others, are not tolerated by the laws of heaven and are unanimously hated by human beings. His Majesty the Emperor, upon hearing of this, is in a towering rage. He has especially sent me, his commissioner, to come to Kwangtung [Guangdong], and together with the governor-general and governor jointly to investigate and settle this matter.
This is world history that you probably did not learn in high school:
Opium was now contraband, but the fact had no effect on the quantity introduced into the country, which rose to 5,000 chests in 1820; 16,000 chests in 1830; 20,000 chests in 1838, and 70,000 chests in 1858… The opium came from India, however, and the increase in importation corresponds with the British occupation of India, and the golden days of the East India Company. “Opium was now contraband, but that fact had no effect on the quantity introduced into the country,” smuggled in wholesale by the enterprising British traders.
We can have a discussion about whether or not China’s attempt to ban opium was “right” or “reasonable” but we do know that mixing opium with tobacco for smoking was a practice introduced by western Europeans.
Then, in 1906, the incredible happened. After over a hundred years of steady demoralization, with half her population opium addicts, or worse still, making enormous profits out of the trade, China determined to give up opium. In all history, no nation has ever set itself such a gigantic task, with such a gigantic handicap. China, a country of immense distances, with scant means of communication; with no common language, a land where only the scholars can read and write, suddenly decided to free herself from this vice. The Emperor issued an edict saying that in ten years’ time all opium traffic must cease, and an arrangement was made with Great Britain whereby this might be accomplished. To the honor of America be it said that we assisted China in this resolution. We agreed to see her through.
A bargain was then made between China and Great Britain, in 1907, China agreeing to diminish poppy cultivation year by year for a period of ten years, and Great Britain agreeing to a proportional decrease in the imports of Indian opium. A three years’ test was first agreed to, a trial of China’s sincerity and ability, for Great Britain feared that this was but a ruse to cut off Indian opium, while leaving China’s opium alone in the field. At the end of three years, however, China had proved her ability to cope with the situation…
Year by year, little by little, one province after another was freed from poppy cultivation, until in 1917, China was practically free from the native-grown drug, and foreign importation had practically ended.
And now, another 100 years later (almost), China’s economic star is again on accession.
The chart is from ABC (Australia) and it part of a series of end-of-the-year charts. Note that the ABC does not provide sources for the data.
Known for gnawing at complex questions like a terrier with a bone. Digital evangelist, writer, teacher. Transplanted Southerner; teach newbies to ride motorcycles. @kegill (Twitter and Mastodon.social); wiredpen.com