Why Are the Opium Wars Shameful for Britain

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Victorian Great Britain was the most technologically and economically developed country in the world at the time. As such, it had the power to protect its interests. With the discovery of new trade routes in the East, and with the foundation of the East India Company, Britain became addicted to the luxurious and exotic items from China. Silk, porcelain, and tea were in high demand among the rich. Britain was so economically strong at the time that even the middle and lower classes could afford to enjoy high-quality items imported from China, especially tea.

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[JAY]

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[maggiemomo]

the tea that the boston tea party dumped in the harbour was also the tea from the British East Indian Company brought from China... the world was surprisingly interconnected. Everything has always been about profits and money

[voooboooo]

I always give the evil title to britain. Not germany

[NorrisGnarfunkel]

Second Boer War. Genocide for gold and diamonds.

[captainchaos]

I'd say shameful would be the wrong choice of words

[ScoopDogg]

It was first introduced to China by Turkish and Arab traders in the late 6th or early 7th century ce. Taken orally to relieve tension and pain, the drug was used in limited quantities until the 17th century.

[williamkarbala]

During the Opium War British soldiers broke into Chinese tombs and dissected some of corpses inside. Wtf Britain?

[Durnyful]

Sadly similar behaviour is displayed by all empires aspiring to get to or stay at the top. Money makes the world go around.

[ericpalomino]

Now the usa and britain are complaining about the same things they did to other countries

[Derrickonthemove]

Western imperialism apologists in 3, 2, 1…

[cmtwei]

Please try to pronounce Chinese names correctly. Jiaqing should be pronounced Ji-a Ching.

Hong Xiuquan should be pronounced Hong Xi-u Chu-an, not Hong Su Kwan. 😮

British merchants especially Jardine Matheson and Emanuel Belilios continued to sell opium in Hong Kong after colonization for about a century. Their names are immortalised in Hong Kong as names of Streets and Belilios School. Jardine Matheson has turned into a conglomerate.

[monosodiumglutemate]

The British don't regret their murderous past, it's a matter to be proud of for them. Crazy I know.

[richardhinman]

This biased, (in favor of China), video didn't mention the following:
-The British started selling opium ONLY because the Chinese refused to buy British goods, (which were top quality products). The British had been paying Spanish silver, (the preferred world currency at the time), for Chinese teas and silks. But the trade imbalance was bankrupting the British economy.
-Simply put- China was a backward, xenophobic country at the time. They looked down on the rest of the world.
-China required foreign traders to be confined to a tiny area near Guangzhou. Western women were not allowed in the country.
-China didn't allow any foreign embassies in their country. (It took China's loss in the 1st Opium War to change that).