An Imbalance of Trade
In the 18th and 19th centuries Western countries (mostly the British) exported opium grown to China. The British used the profits from the sale of opium to purchase Chinese luxury goods like porcelain, silk, and tea.
Britain and other European countries traded in opium because of their chronic trade imbalance with China. There was tremendous demand for Chinese luxury goods in Europe, but there was correspondingly little demand in China for Europe’s manufactured goods. Consequently, Europeans had to pay for Chinese products with gold or silver (think back to the silver trade of the Early Modern Era).
While in control of India, the British East India Company recognized that Opium grew well in the northern regions of the colony (modern day Pakistan and Afghanistan). In the mid 1800's the company would begin sending Opium to China and soon, it would replace silver as England's primary export to China. Opium is highly addictive. Therefore, trade in opium ensured a steady demand among Chinese addicts. This solved this chronic trade imbalance for Europeans.
Britain and other European countries traded in opium because of their chronic trade imbalance with China. There was tremendous demand for Chinese luxury goods in Europe, but there was correspondingly little demand in China for Europe’s manufactured goods. Consequently, Europeans had to pay for Chinese products with gold or silver (think back to the silver trade of the Early Modern Era).
While in control of India, the British East India Company recognized that Opium grew well in the northern regions of the colony (modern day Pakistan and Afghanistan). In the mid 1800's the company would begin sending Opium to China and soon, it would replace silver as England's primary export to China. Opium is highly addictive. Therefore, trade in opium ensured a steady demand among Chinese addicts. This solved this chronic trade imbalance for Europeans.
Opium Wars
Levels of opium addiction grew so high that it began to affect all classes. As Opium addiction grew, Chinese agricultural and economic productivity plummeted. The Qing dynasty began to enforce restrictions on the opium trade. The Qing Emperor placed Lin Zexu in charge of eliminating opium from China. Zexu wrote a stern letter to queen Victoria of England (see at right) and ordered 20,000 crates of opium to be dumped into the South China Sea.
This attack on British "private property" resulted in two armed conflicts between China and the West, known as the Opium Wars (1839-1842 & 1856-1860), both of which China lost. During the first 3 hours of the first battle of the first Opium War, 600 Chinese died. ZERO British soldiers died in the same battle. and which resulted in various measures that contributed to the decline of the Qing. In both wars, European Industrial technologies were the primary reason they so easily won battles against the Chinese.
As a result of these losses the Chinese government was forced to legalize the opium trade and sign a number of unequal treaties.
As a result of these losses the Chinese government was forced to legalize the opium trade and sign a number of unequal treaties.