253. Victorian Narcos: Drug Dealers Lead Britain to War (Ep 7)
whatshot 28 snips
May 7, 2025
The podcast explores how opium traders manipulated British politics to initiate war with China. It delves into the moral complexities of the opium trade, highlighting figures like Lord Palmerston and the internal debates in Parliament. Listeners learn about the naive approach of British officials towards military decisions and the stark miscalculations made by Qing officials regarding naval power. The discussion captures the brutality of the Opium War, offering reflections on its impact and highlighting the tragic outcomes for China.
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insights INSIGHT
Opium Trade Power Play
The opium trade was dominated by powerful traders Jardine and Matheson, who ignored the official British trade chief Charles Elliot.
This illicit trade undermined British authority and set the stage for conflict with China.
insights INSIGHT
Drug Traders Lobby for War
William Jardine actively lobbied in London, planting propaganda to justify war against China.
Lord Palmerston, the influential Foreign Secretary, embraced these hawkish views to support British imperial interests.
insights INSIGHT
British Hawks Underestimate China
The British government, influenced by hawkish members, believed a small show of force would coerce China into accepting British trade demands.
They underestimated China's resolve and overestimated their control of the situation.
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the Opium War and the End of China's Last Golden Age
Stephen Platt
In this book, Stephen R. Platt explores the complex origins of the Opium War, detailing the early attempts by Western traders and missionaries to 'open' China. The narrative focuses on the period leading up to the war, highlighting the struggles of China's imperial rulers, the role of Confucian scholars, and the eventual descent into one of the most unjust wars in imperial history. The book features a cast of British, Chinese, and American characters and has significant implications for understanding current Sino-Western relations.
The Opium War
Drugs, Dreams and the Making of China
Julia Lovell
In 'The Opium War: Drugs, Dreams and the Making of China', Julia Lovell examines the First Opium War (1839-1842) and its profound impact on China's self-image and its relations with the West. The book details the British campaign, marked by bureaucratic fumbling, military missteps, and political opportunism, and how this conflict became a founding myth of modern Chinese nationalism. Lovell also analyzes how the Opium Wars shaped China's national myths and public memory, highlighting the delusions and prejudices that have characterized China's interactions with the West[1][3][4].
How did opium traders convince the British Cabinet to wage war on China? Who was Lord Palmerston? Why was China, one of the biggest empires in the world, so ill-prepared for war at sea?
William and Anita discuss how James Matheson launched a propaganda campaign in the British press which led to warships being sent to China, on the way to start The First Opium War…
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