The Opium Wars were two wars that were the climax of a long dispute between Britain and China. In the second, France fought alongside the British. This dispute was around the Opium trade which was perceived from two different cultural and economic vantage points — as with any and all global economic conflicts between two parties. The Chinese Emperor had banned opium in China due to its harmful effects on Chinese citizens and its denigratory impact on the Chinese culture; The British Empire, however, saw opium as a profitable good for commercial trade, as its import would help balance the huge trade deficit with China. The Opium Wars and "unequal treaties" signed afterward led in part to the downfall of the Chinese economy, as many countries followed Britain and forced more treaties to increase trade within China.

The Growth of the Opium Trade (1650–1773)

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The Qing dynasty of China, beset by increasingly aggressive foreign powers that clamoured for two-way trade with China, entered a long decline in the early 1800s. Europeans bought porcelain, silk, spices and tea from China, but were unable to sell goods in return. Instead, they were forced to trade directly in silver, which further strained finances already squeezed by European wars.

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@lukewaterfield and when you look at wars, there is always a resource fought over. Afghanistans resource is opium.
slummymummy1 (Lisa) Fri, 11 Dec 2009 12:34:14 -0000
@lukewaterfield and when you look at wars, there is always a resource fought over. Afghanistans resource is opium.
Currently reading http://www.infowars.com/u-s-wars-and-the-opium-trade/
Spiritwolf7 (Susie Nelson) Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:12:41 -0000
Currently reading http://www.infowars.com/u-s-wars-and-the-opium-trade/
Putting the last Tweet in context, England & Empire militarily created opium market in China (opium wars)
SydneyHomeless (Sydney Homeless) Wed, 09 Dec 2009 05:40:01 -0000
Putting the last Tweet in context, England & Empire militarily created opium market in China (opium wars)
#Farmville RT @Malacandra: If you grow opium in Farmville, can you sell it in Mafia Wars? http://bit.ly/8L6Jd2 >>> Meeewwwhhhhh
LostBlackSheep (Lost Black Sheep) Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:16:27 -0000
#Farmville RT @Malacandra: If you grow opium in Farmville, can you sell it in Mafia Wars? http://bit.ly/8L6Jd2 >>> Meeewwwhhhhh
ahahahhaha RT @b0blee e RT @Malacandra: If you grow opium in Farmville, can you sell it in Mafia Wars?
mar1310 (Marcela Mendes) Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:51:08 -0000
ahahahhaha RT @b0blee e RT @Malacandra: If you grow opium in Farmville, can you sell it in Mafia Wars?
RT @Malacandra: If you grow opium in Farmville, can you sell it in Mafia Wars?
b0blee (Bob Lee) Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:49:32 -0000
RT @Malacandra: If you grow opium in Farmville, can you sell it in Mafia Wars?

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