Causes of the Opium War
In the 19th century, Chinese goods were very lucrative for the West, especially Europe. In this commercial and trading relationship, the Qing Dynasty in China was in the control of the trading relationship. During that century, international trade was only allowed in Canton (now Guangzhou). Besides that, the Qing Dynasty also had sanctioned monopolies in the empire. Another thing that really put a strain on the trading relationship between China and Europe was that China only wanted to be paid in silver. The Sino-British trade was mostly about high-value luxury items like tea from China and silver from Britain. It was really costly at that time to trade with China because Britain was on the gold standard so it had to purchase silver from Germany. Because of the Chinese appetite for silver, the British found themselves draining their metal reserves.
With the reserve problem, the British tried to find themselves looking for other items to trade with China that the Chinese do not have. It was then that the British started to trade with opium. The use of opium as a medicinal ingredient was mentioned in several Chinese texts but other uses for it were very limited. There were several laws against its abuse as well. Trading opium in massive and substantial quantities as introduced by Britain motivated opium’s recreational use by the Chinese. The British imported large amounts of opium and the trade of the drug became very prevalent in China. Actually, opium was illegal in China even at that time. The demand for the drug rose fivefold from 1821 to 1837.
The huge demand was made by several opium users and addicted citizens in China. Opium did not only pose a danger for the health of the citizens but it also affected public moral. In addition, China was not able to cover the costs for the opium imports only with tea, silk, and chinaware. Another problem was that production was being hindered by widespread opium addiction. The trade balance for China became negative and silver reserves in the country became depleted.
With several problems in the import of opium and the widespread addiction, the Qing dynasty wanted to end the opium trade but efforts in ending the trade was complicated and hindered by several corrupt Chinese officials. Many foreigners who were exporting opium to China were affected because of the imposition of the high custom duties that the Chinese area forcing them to pay. The government had made this decision to stop and lessen the opium import in the country. Though opium has been used medicinally, it has been used more recreationally by all classes of people during that time. Many foreign powers who were exporting opium to China made huge profits in the growing addiction of the Chinese to opium. Many officials think that foreigners are even encouraging the opium addiction in China.
The Qing government had really made decisions and steps to stop or lessen the opium trade. However, it was already too late because the economy was already massively affected. During that time, the governor of Canton banned the sale and trade of opium and closed the channel to Canton. With this decision, British traders were held hostage in Canton. This incident of the confrontation between Chinese and British merchants triggered the war between the two countries.
The Aftermath of the War
A Chinese author suggests that though the war was called “The Opium War,” it was not about opium (Chung 1). In the West’s race for colonization, China was the prize for several Western countries. The war indicated opening China’s markets and resources. When China lost the war, this allowed the penetration of West.
It was after the war that China was exposed politically, socially, economically, and ideologically outside its territory. The Treaty of Nanking was seen as an unequal treaty by the Chinese. It gave Britain several concessions. First was the opening to five ports for international trade. There was only one port before: Canton. Now there are additional four ports, Xiamen, Linbou, Shanghai, and Fuzhou. With opening of several ports when there was only one before, foreign trade flourished. Trading with China was even more open than it was before. Free trade was very rampant and the ports were buzzing with activities just after the war. Second, was to concede Hong Kong to Britain which ended the trade monopoly in Canton. During the war, Britain seized Hong Kong and made it into a military base. After the war, China conceded Hong Kong as part of British territory. This gave Britain easier access in trading with China.
Opening Chinese ports to Western markets allowed the development of capitalism in China. There was inflow of cheap Western machines that made production of several kinds of goods easier. The Chinese economy collapsed but many businesses adapted to this new development. Western machines allowed many businesses to flourish as well because goods can be made easier than ever before. Despite this development in manufacturing goods, unemployment was already very prevalent in China. Less people are needed now that there are several machines that can make manufacturing easier.
The treaty was supposed to satisfy the goals of Britain to have a more tolerant and more improved trade relations with China. But the treaty failed to satisfy British goals and it had put the diplomatic relations between China and Britain into a strain. These problems led to another war called the Second Opium War.
The Effect the Wars Had on the Qing Dynasty
The War had no doubt opened China politically and economically to the outside world. Before the war, China was isolated and closed out. Even the Chinese thought that they are in control and are superior to other countries. After the war, that superiority was destroyed. Another effect was that of foreign trading. Foreign trade flourished when the Canton system was abolished. During the Canton system, there was only one trading location which is Canton. After the war, there were additional four more ports that opened foreign trade to the outside world. But the opening of several ports and foreign trade to the world did not bode well for the Chinese. This created several monetary disturbances that were brought with foreign trade. Monopoly was abolished and capitalism was introduced.
Opening of the five ports in China (namely Canton, Xiamen, Linbou, Shanghai, and Fuzhou), allowed foreign ideology and culture to penetrate China. After the war, the Chinese realized that in its defeat in the war, China is not actually the ``Heavenly Middle Kingdom” and in fact, the emperor was not the ``Son of Heaven.” The war has definitely affected the Qing dynasty and destroyed the Chinese air of superiority. With a deteriorating monopoly, this greatly weakened the dynasty’s rule.
Trade activities definitely provoke internal monetary crises. China was not used to this kind of economy. In this regard, Chinese copper cash continued to depreciate because inadequate supply of copper and because of poor administration.
With a greatly weakened Qing dynasty and with a greatly collapsed economy, there was rampant poverty in the country. There were social chaos and insurrections over the country. The war also caused the Chinese officials to rethink China’s political system. China, in this case, cannot hold on to its traditional ``Heavenly Middle Kingdom” ideology like before. Losing the war was referred to as an unparalleled degradation for China. It was a humiliation for China. Its foreign policies were greatly affected and the treaty made several concessions to the British that made definitely affected several China politically, socially, and economically.
The officials definitely felt that they had to restructure and rethink China’s political system. With whole country in the brink of collapse and very prevalent social chaos, it definitely affected how many citizens look upon the Qing rule. The war was one of the triggers to China’s capitalism and the opening of Chinese modern history and the end to its dynasties. The incidents after the war were considered as the start of modern Chinese history. The Qing dynasty was the last dynasty ever to rule in China. It was the last feudal monarchy in China before the political system was restructured and China had a much more modern political government.
Works Cited
"South And East Asia, 1815-1914." Brummett, Palmira, et al. Civilizations Past And Present. London: Longman, 2002.
"First Opium War." Cultural China. 25 November 2011
The Opium War and the Opening of China. 25 November 2011
Tan Chung. China and the Brave New World. Bombay: Allied Publishers Private Limited, 1978.
