Opium Wars Pragmatism and Policy Research Paper

There was a debate at the highest levels of Chinese government as to how to handle the problem, with some arguing for stricter regulation and others insisting that the substance simply be banned (Hanes & Sanello, 2002; Bello, 2005). The voices calling for an outright ban of the substance eventually won out, and thus the cultural detriment that opium presented led directly to the band that sparked two wars (Page, 2003).

The decision to outlaw opium in China did not, of course, stop the opium trade or the use of opium by Chinese citizens, but it did have a significant impact on both business and the internal and external perceptions of Chinese government and culture (Page, 2003; Bello, 2005). Ultimately, China as a whole was forced to acknowledge that it could not remain completely independent either economically or culturally, and that the world had grown in its networks and relationships to the point that China had to accept world trade as the new standard (Melancon, 2003). It is undeniably true that China's culture began to change more dramatically when trade into the country was made more free, and in this sense (as well as in their quest for total control over the Chinese economy) the Chinese government failed, but such changes would not have occurred unless they were sought after by a majority of the Chinese population (Page, 2003; Melancon, 2003). The Opium Wars are a strong reminder that when it comes to culture, you simply can't stop the force of progress.

Conclusion

Market forces eventually won out against the stringent cultural demands and expectations of the Chinese government. This is not really all that surprising in the light of twentieth century capitalism, but when the forces of globalization were still beginningto make themsekves known the results were clearly not as predictable. Eventually, China was forced to recognize that its best interests lay in open trade, and not in cultural and economic isolation.

References

Bairoch, P. (1995). Economics and World History. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Bello, D. (2005). Opium and the Limits of Empire. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.…