this post was submitted on 07 May 2025
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What's China's silver requirement?
Europe didn't have much in raw materials that China wanted and China wouldn't trade for manufactured goods. So, most trade with China involved silver or gold. In an effort to address this trade imbalance, the British started shipping opium as a way to have another trade good for Chinese export.
Shipping opium is a light way to put it. The goal was to get the local populace addicted to Indian Opium and to receive payment in silver so that very silver could be used to buy tea.
The trade imbalance was driven by demand for tea and Britain was willing to have an entire population become addicted to feed that demand, essentially acting as a colonial drug dealer.
Unfortunately, people from colonial powers rarely learn or reflect on these aspects of their history (though I'm certain it is taught in China and India).
Seems fair to me, we get addicted to tea and they get addicted to opium?
(/s of course)
Polly, put the kettle on..
This is basic history education.
This documentary is part of larger series with both chinese and western historians, and goes into detail and background leading up to the opium wars https://youtu.be/26AjcWuYfUE