HI 233 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Second Opium War, Proselytism, Lin Zexu
The Gap
Question: How did the division between rich/developed and poor/underdeveloped parts of the
world take shape during the nineteenth century?
British Demand for Chinese Goods
● Had to change terms of trade to substitute something for cash
● Tea purchased cost 29 million British pounds (late 18th century)
China: The Qing Empire
● China was an empire with a strong political center that controlled trade outside of it
○ Saw itself as the center of the civilized world
○ Used tribute system for diplomacy and trade with periphery
○ Canton System established 1760 to control European traders’ access
● The opportunity to conduct trade with China was seen as a privilege
Macartney Mission (1762) and Emperor Qianlong’s Response to King George III
● King George III sent a letter to the Emperor asking for permission to trade with them (the
response is online to read)
● Basically, the Emperor said he was a barbarian looking to be civilized, which was great,
but he needed to know his place and that was below him
○ Confrontation between two world empires
British Opium Sales to China
● The British found, after their control of India, that Indians were creating drugs from
poppies
● Exported the opium to China
○ At first it was advertised for medical purposes, but then it was abused
○ It was banned to be imported into China
● A large smuggling trade began into China, and it was a very profitable but very harmful
business
○ Silver was being used to pay for the drug, so much of the silver going into China
was coming right back out
○ Many Chinese people, including higher ups, became addicted, so regulation
movements of opium were discussed instead of a ban
● Many thought that opium was a moral issue and it needed to be banned to show the
barbarians they did not have control of China
○ The letter is online that told Queen Victoria why opium was going to be banned
Opium War (1839-42)
● The letter did not reach Queen Victoria apparently
● Lin Zexu still confiscated and destroyed British opium in Canton, so British merchants
fought for restitutions for this to never happen again
○ In the name of “free trade” the British sent a punitive expedition to fight for the
trade of opium in China
● The Chinese lost the Opium War
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Document Summary
Had to change terms of trade to substitute something for cash. Tea purchased cost 29 million british pounds (late 18th century) China was an empire with a strong political center that controlled trade outside of it. Saw itself as the center of the civilized world. Used tribute system for diplomacy and trade with periphery. Canton system established 1760 to control european traders" access. The opportunity to conduct trade with china was seen as a privilege. Macartney mission (1762) and emperor qianlong"s response to king george iii. King george iii sent a letter to the emperor asking for permission to trade with them (the response is online to read) Basically, the emperor said he was a barbarian looking to be civilized, which was great, but he needed to know his place and that was below him. The british found, after their control of india, that indians were creating drugs from poppies.
