reading: war of the poppies

• opium wars: clash of cultures and governance ideologies.

• anglo-chinese wars (1839-42, 1856-60) and 1876 chefoo convention rooted in doctrines.

• european belief in free trade vs. protectionist china under confucian influence.

• confucian view: merchants limited, material gain above scholarship.

• ideological war: britain's historical struggle against doctrines threatening governments.

• britain's 1793-1815 war against Jacobin thought paved the way for the conflict in china.

• free trade movement initiated by adam smith in 1776.

• william huskisson's 1823 reciprocity of duties bill relaxed protectionist measures.

• britain's approach shaped by enlightenment thought and discussions.

• industrial revolution shifted belief in divine help to human capability.

• methods for societal improvement: spiritual conversion, education, science, legislation, and commerce.

• emphasis on knowledge to save nations and civilisations.

• ideological war and violent intervention against perceived backwardness.

• British ignorance about Confucian Renaissance and reliance on misleading opinions.

• paradox: Britain insisted on treaty opening China but rejected China's legislation against opium.

• opium issue in China since the 1700s, growing with European drug trafficking.

• British merchants' lack of understanding about China's efforts to control opium.

• Chinese opium regulations rooted in empirical research and Confucian Renaissance.

• British misunderstandings about opium, corruption, and compromise in China.

• Lin Tse-hsu's actions, British merchants expelled, and opium destruction in Canton.

• escalation to the First Opium War, Treaty of Nanking in 1842, revealing China's need for reform.

• Second Opium War in 1856, Chefoo Convention in 1876, and continued opium trade in China.

• British perspective ignores China's opium problem and consequences of the wars.

• Confucian scholar-officials' opposition to opium trade, Lord Ashley's critique, and Chinese reactions.

• Continued British denial of opium's impact in China, historical distortions, and China's modern challenges.

summary:

• british opium trading leads to chinese dependence

• chinese resistance to/anger at british business of opium trade

• long n proud chinese tech n cultural traditions

  • brits often saw chinese as less than them

• british/western sense of superiority

  • spreading of ‘gospel of free trade’ » “seen as a/the route to development n ‘progress’

    • more trade = more money for everyone (lack of tariffs)

    • unequal basis of the trading partnership

    • seen as a/the route to development n progress

  • ‘clash of ideas’

  • desire for products from china: tea, silk n ‘chinoiserie’

    • wealth repped by chinese product

  • idea that ill effect of opium were unimportant