Modern China and Its Peoples

Maxwell Goldstein

Professor Zheng

Modern China and its People’s

February 19, 2018

Opium

        Throughout my assignment, I will be playing the role of a member of the grand council of the Qing Dynasty. As members of the grand council, my fellow councilman and I are faced with the dilemma of the fast approaching opium epidemic. For us councilman to execute our positions properly we will have to represent the pros and cons to the either the legalization or banning of the trade and recreation of opium in the empire. After reviewing the positive and negative aspects of the situation, my fellow councilman and I will make a decision to present to the emperor to further establish a set of policies when regarding to this issue.  

        Over time, the Qing dynasty have engaged and participated in trade with other foreign countries to establish and stabilize a proper income for the empire. Our main trading partners are those of Britain and France with whom we would trade silk, pottery and other materials in return for a fair share of silver. These trading traditions were somewhat vital for our empire because, compared to the imperial forces we were trading with, we have a weak advantage in the sense of industrialization as well as our military. Up to this point in time we have done a decent job in receiving and importing goods along with shielding ourselves against any sort of uprising within these trade negotiations, however, with the powerful military and industrial force that France and Britain obtain, it won’t be long until we find ourselves being taken advantage of. With the power that Britain attained, they had the luxury to go against the trade negotiations that were set in place to further benefit themselves by taking control of future agreements. Prior to the uprising of the imperial forces, Britain had already begun taking the upper hand by replacing the silver with opium in trade deals. This was the beginning of the ever-spiraling effect of opium on the Qing Dynasty.

        When debating the positives and negatives of either banning or legalizing opium, you must involve all components of the issue. When opium was first being smuggled into China by the British it quickly swept through the country. Currently there is an estimated two million users throughout the empire. Now, the traditional argument when this topic is brought to attention, is that opium is poor for one’s health. Along with the poor health aspect, one could argue that opium has effected both the social and labor aspects of the country, meaning that the country was once able to accomplish more on an everyday basis but has seen a decline in production since the spread of the drug. The economy was also effected by the trading and selling of opium. When merchants would receive the drug during trade, it didn’t correlate with the profit of silver. Merchants would be in a scramble at times to sell the drug because one, poppy fields were being grown across the empire, therefore lowering the demand of trade from the British, and two, because of the separation in currency between silver and opium. Merchants would at times run out of buyers for the drug in proximity of the time needed. What needs to be brought to serious attention, is the punishment that was put forth when one was found with opium. Farmer’s fields and properties were destroyed by military members, often publicly humiliating them, and at times, killing those who suppressed the law. While the decision to ban the drug seemed like the proper approach to the situation at first, it proved to be costly in the long run, as many citizens became unhappy with the authorities and government.