Dr. Alex Day
April 22, 2008
Wayne State University AP Day
‘1st Opium War’: Example of Immanuel Wallerstein’s World Systems theory
British 1839–1st Opium War (2 wars)
British=Core Nation in Wallerstein’s lexicon (see first lecture from Wayne State AP Day by
Dr. Retish)
Why OPIUM?
BACKGROUND
1490’s Portuagal and Vasco da Gama sails into India
1511 Portugal in Malayan ports–Malacca
1520’s China-trade ports
China bans trade with Portugal
Ottomans had blocked European trade routes (Silk Road) 1453 by taking Constantinople…
(Of course, this will cause European Atlantic states to search for Atlantic Ocean route to India, etc. al, Columbian exchange….)
ASIA=Center of World economy 1400’s-1799
Silver flows to Asia–’Silver Sink’–Potosi, Bolivia Spanish and Japanese SILVER
China blocking European trade to China. Europeans wanted that ’silver’ trade reversed, ie.,
silver flowing into Europe, NOT CHINA!
SILVER and OPIUM
Silver=Chinese money (for taxes and trade)
Chinese silver mined in China enough for China trade in 1430’s
Chinese economy boomed–needed silver–Japan and Americas supplied this need.
Any analogy to OIL today???
Acupulco, Mexico–Spanish silver port to China. 50% of Spanish Americas silver shipped to China.
Manilla, Philippines 1571 becomes first global port through Japanese, Spanish, Chinese silver trade.
European silver buys Chinese silk, tea, porcelain, etc. al
China not interested in ‘cheap’ European trade goods.
CANTON (S. China) is port that Chinese govt. (in North China) limits European trade to.
China viewed Canton as ‘periphery’-North Central China was center of Chinese wealth and
economy…
British E. India Co. 1600-1830’s has a monopoly on China trade though trade is strictly regulated by Chinese administrators who regulate prices and control the European trade. Europeans must negotiate and pay fees to these Chinese administrators representing the govt. in Beijing.
BRITISH-FREE TRADE
How do the British reduce flow of silver into China? or, How do the British reverse the silver trade into China and move it into England???
Triangle Trade:
BRITISH——–to——-India————–to——–China
sells textiles raw cotton, opium Chinese silk, etc. to England
to India
British begin to see opium as a means to control silver flow in this triangular trade system.
1804-1810 Opium sales cause more silver to flow of China to England.
1830’s Imperial State of China worried about silver flow out of China.
1838 Chinese Beijing govt. assign Lin Zexu to Canton to ‘control’ (ban) opium trade in Canton and stop silver flow out of China.
English were shipping 30, 000 chests of opium to China per year. (**Maunu aside: this sounds light, but that is what I heard Dr. Day say)
Lin’s actions to stop opium trade:
1. Lin Zexu first writes letter to England as to immorality of Opium trade and how it is harming
China.
http://acc6.its.brooklyn.cuny.edu/~phalsall/texts/com-lin.html
2. Tried to stop opium dealers-executions
3. Tried to stop opium use of Chinese citizens through intervention programs
4. 1839 forced British merchants to give up opium–lay seige to British port. Stop Chinese
labor in Canton. Chinese workers moved out..
http://koreanhistoryproject.org/Ket/C18/E1802.htm
5. British retreat to Macau (Portuguese port)
6. Lin Zexu confiscates 3 million pds. of British opium–destroyed in trench dug to sea. Opium
mixed with lime and salt…
7. British govt. will protest to Chinese govt.
8. British opium dealers will smuggle opium—Chinese naval expedition with army sent to
Macau. British flee to small island of Hong Kong or Victoria Island.
9. Chinese follow to Hong Kong
10. British navy sent to Canton to stop harassment, but then move up coast NORTH and
threaten Beijing. 1839-1842.
Steam powered British ship called ‘Nemesis’ destroyed Chinese navy. (Industrial Revolution effect)
As British steam warships get too close to Beijing, Chinese govt. capitulates.
1842 Treaty of Nanjing: (Unequal Treaties)
1. cedes Hong Kong to Eng.
2. direct diplomatic relations between English govt. and Chinese govt. in Beijing
3. huge silver indemnities paid to English opium ‘merchants,’ and British govt. for war costs,
ie., loss of British ships.
4. 5 new ports opened to British trade–CANTON System ended
5. reduction of Chinese tariffs.
2nd Opium War–1857-1860
New ports created. 1860 China legalized Opium Trade…
SILVER is key–British-Europeans will sell commodities to China and start to ‘dig’ for Chinese
resources, within China.
Missionary activity allowed in China after 1860.
Will lead to a loss of respect of Chinese govt. (MANCHU’s-Qing) by Chinese citizens.
Mandate of Heaven?
Collapse of Manchus will follow by early 1900’s.
New ports, Opium trade, and British and other Europeans in China river systems will cause
dislocation of Chinese river workers–who will stage rebellions..
1911 Manchus end–China becomes periphery—CHANGE OVER TIME
China moves from CORE power to periphery from 1799 to 1860…
***Maunu note—Wow, From super power to colony in 60 yrs. Warning to America???
**********************************************************************
Dr. Day After thought:
Dr. Day’s Lecture shifts to ‘WHY CANTON?’
Why did Beijing allow British trade into Canton?
Chinese Imperial system under Manchus ORDERS all relationships. Tribute system…all ‘colonies’ pay homage, and tribute to imperial court in Beijing.
Don’t want foreigners in China.
Canton far from Beijing capitoal in North China, thus British allowed to trade in far off ‘foreign province’ away from Chinese economy in north central China.
Qinglong Emperor had told British-Europeans, ‘We don’t need your trade.’ (before 1799)
Analogy? America today—–Iran, Iraq OIL
British 1800’s——China, Silver
Dr. Day ends his short 20 minute lecture with this question or fact:
‘Is core moving back to Asia?’ ie,. will Pacific Asiatic rim be the economic (CORE) power soon?
