Andrew Gust

The Opium Trade

I. Origins and Early uses
-Exact origins unsure, thought to have been introduced by Arabs in the 7th century.
-Other possibilities: sailors, Tibetan priests, traders etc.
-Hua Tuo, a surgeon during the Three Kingdoms (220-264 C.E.), used it before major surgery
-Exists a long time as medicine until smoking is introduced in the 1500s.
-Tobacco is outlawed by the government so the result is smoking of opium.

II. Opium Trade
- Trade of the product passed from one country to another with the British eventually taking over
- Indian opium was better than domestic and this was the only import that China really wanted.
- British East India Company does not stop opium trade and has a monopoly.
- British wanted tea and silk for which China would only take silver bullion in return.
- Off and on, opium is banned and has harsh penalties ensue.
- In 1832, patrols to stop smuggling were abolished due to ineffectiveness and corruption.
- In early 1820s wild tea is found growing in India.
- Merchants wished for some sort of threat of war to open China’s eyes to international trade.
- China felt it was “…debasing Confucian ethics and encouraging selfish idleness”

III. Abolishing Attempts by Lin Zexu and the Opium War
- Appointed by emperor in 1839 to eradicate the opium trade
- Threatened traders with harsh penalties.
- Confiscated 20,283 chests of opium from the British and destroyed it.
- Had chance to bargain for end of opium smuggling but did not.
- By removing a years supply, he had pushed up the price of the next harvest.
- April 25, 1840 is the start of the Opium War.
- Most of British casualties die from dysentery which could have been cured by opium.
- August 1842, Royal Navy takes Nanjing and a treaty is signed, ending the war.
- British felt the war was fundamental to opening up China to world trade whereas China felt it was over opium.
- Lin was blamed by the emperor throughout the war for failing to get rid of the traders and was exiled.

IV. Post War
- Hong Kong becomes the major trading center, especially for opium traders.
- British government chooses to ignore that the trade was going on but had to continue because India’s economy was based upon it.
- Right to deal opium was sold annually to the highest bidder.
- Chinese opium profits soared and land previously devoted to food production, were taken over by poppies.
- In 1890, the emperor revoked all prohibitions against it in order to stop imports but it only encouraged wider spread use.
- Divans and dens arose for the poorer users while the rich had their won pipes made of everything from jade to gold.
- In the 1870s, the British public began to voice their concern against the opium trade.
- This was a difficult process since those who made money from opium had more money and therefore more influence. Also, to get rid of the
trade would mean to completely alter India’s economy.
- 1906, China and Britain agree to have China eradicated of opium by 1917.
- 1909, Hong Kong is forced to stop exporting opium and India ceases its exportation thus ending formal British involvement in the trade.