Why Did Britain Get China Addicted To Opium? | Empires of Silver | Absolute History

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  • čas přidán 5. 06. 2024
  • It's hard to believe but silver was at one time worth more than gold. China used silver as their currency and the West had to pay in silver for Chinese goods. This angered the British and so they sought a commodity that the Chinese would be forced to buy. China did not covet any goods that the West had except one: Opium.
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Komentáře • 1,5K

  • @caneestudio
    @caneestudio Před měsícem +32

    America & Europe hasn't changed. Their attitude "what's yours is mine, & what's mine stays mine".

    • @joshhorn5131
      @joshhorn5131 Před 13 dny +3

      And this is exclusive to America and Europe?

    • @ZoomZoomMX3
      @ZoomZoomMX3 Před 8 dny

      Wow this guy needs to study more of history.
      Every nation has done these exact tactics and worse against those around themselves, at it's most basics it's taxes paid by people to there governments but you get roads theys say

    • @InterYamah
      @InterYamah Před 8 dny

      As it should be to the lesser races

    • @richymoore
      @richymoore Před 8 dny

      Brainwashed

  • @Seven-ld9zv
    @Seven-ld9zv Před 6 měsíci +293

    This is an amazing documentary series about a topic that's almost forgotten in modern Western societies. I do feel like it still minimized the involvement of Britain, France and Japan in the destruction of the Qing empire. It remarkably leaves out what the British did to Puyi; the last emperor of the Qing, it leaves out the Japanese invasion of China and massacres at Nanjing, Shanghai and other places.

    • @NazriB
      @NazriB Před 6 měsíci +6

      Lies again? Olympic Medals Higher Chinese

    • @Pepe-dq2ib
      @Pepe-dq2ib Před 6 měsíci

      Most of those events had nothing to do with China's silver or opium. You could have a documentary about Chinas history with manchu or mongol invasion and some chinese will complain, "why did you leave out the opium and unit 731".

    • @Rorschachqp
      @Rorschachqp Před 6 měsíci +7

      It’s remembered in many movies.

    • @r2dxhate
      @r2dxhate Před 6 měsíci

      I agree that there has been an independent white washing of history from every perspective globally, but there's also a lot of Chinese propaganda trying to re-write history. The 9 dash line for instance. We need to be skeptical of all claims, and practice critical thinking.

    • @adrianseanheidmann4559
      @adrianseanheidmann4559 Před 6 měsíci +20

      @@NazriB Are YOU high??

  • @reginaldmorton2162
    @reginaldmorton2162 Před měsícem +26

    The documentary was correctly directed with additional facts i was unaware. Yes, the British modernized chinese harbors and organization but all of this work wasn't done to benefit china. All of the work done by western powers was concentrated around chinas ports in order to streamline the flow of opium into China. Yes silver and tea was a major influence for profits but a kilograms of opium bought in India for 10 pounds would be worth 10k pounds once it reached the chinese coastline. Britain was the first Narco state.

    • @Taporeee
      @Taporeee Před měsícem +2

      Yes

    • @user-jg9cr9bj8v
      @user-jg9cr9bj8v Před 24 dny

      I doubt that.
      Drugs and prostitution had been influential probably since the beginning is it's time.

    • @PrimoPete
      @PrimoPete Před 24 dny +2

      ​@@user-jg9cr9bj8vOf course they were, the Brits just, no pun intended, put the drug trade on cocaine and overran China.

  • @laurenlance8960
    @laurenlance8960 Před 6 měsíci +90

    So the Americans dumped the tea purchased with opium into the ocean and the Chinese dumped the opium used to buy the tea into the river. Classic.

    • @byakuya3603
      @byakuya3603 Před 6 měsíci +13

      In fact, China’s destruction of opium was done by reacting it with caustic soda (NAOH), not by dumping it into the river, because that would cause people who drink the river water to get addicted.

    • @sicks6six
      @sicks6six Před 6 měsíci +7

      Happy to have been a fish back then 😂

    • @adrianseanheidmann4559
      @adrianseanheidmann4559 Před 6 měsíci +7

      @@byakuya3603 you don't get a addicted from drinking a tad bit of opium infested water mate.

    • @bigboss-tl2xr
      @bigboss-tl2xr Před 5 měsíci +4

      ​@@adrianseanheidmann4559Right!? You gotta drink a BIG glass every day for a few weeks....

    • @Rstars2o4
      @Rstars2o4 Před 2 měsíci

      Yea cuz the UK was that annoying step dad who tries to tell u what to do but u end up screwing him over because in reality, he cant do a single damn thing.

  • @HistoryOfRevolutions
    @HistoryOfRevolutions Před 5 měsíci +44

    "Being foolish and having too much wealth will increase your faults"
    - Lin Zexu (林則徐)

    • @goodgrief888
      @goodgrief888 Před měsícem +2

      That’s the tech wealthy in Silicon Valley

    • @davechristian7543
      @davechristian7543 Před měsícem +1

      @@goodgrief888 isnt money so important to all americans mate which has now spread globally since ww2

    • @user-jg9cr9bj8v
      @user-jg9cr9bj8v Před 24 dny

      Same with drugs and alcohol.

    • @pofoto1950
      @pofoto1950 Před 20 dny

      Qq]]​@@goodgrief888

  • @tilunet76
    @tilunet76 Před 6 měsíci +121

    In french, still today, the word for money is "argent", wich means silver. Now I know why. Wonderful series.

    • @sofiaponte7993
      @sofiaponte7993 Před 4 měsíci +11

      It comes from Latin. In Latin money and silver had the same name, argentum

    • @strexpills
      @strexpills Před 3 měsíci +6

      in romania means also the same and its spelled argint

    • @LorelleCaimyth
      @LorelleCaimyth Před 3 měsíci +3

      Same in the Irish language, Gaeilge, money is 'airgead'

    • @freekpluimers
      @freekpluimers Před 3 měsíci

      The Chinese are doing the same to the US with fentanyl as the British did to China.

    • @RobespierreThePoof
      @RobespierreThePoof Před 2 měsíci +6

      It's Rome that led to that word. Not China.

  • @thunderK5
    @thunderK5 Před 6 měsíci +38

    HSBC: Even worse than you thought.

  • @patrickllt
    @patrickllt Před 5 měsíci +25

    This is just 1 of the many reasons China has rapidly modernised its military.

    • @johngammon963
      @johngammon963 Před měsícem

      Their army is ineffective and undisciplined plus their leaders are hypocrites.

  • @wenliu9571
    @wenliu9571 Před 5 měsíci +16

    Chinese people have always used gold, silver and copper as currency, and iron coins have been used in some periods. The problem was that gold was so rare that copper became a supplement at first, and then copper became common and cheap, and silver became the mainstream. By the middle of the Ming Dynasty, the growth of the population and the prosperity of the country led to a shortage of silver until the Qing Dynasty, when a large amount of silver was earned from trade with Western colonists, and then new problems emerged.

    • @kahlernygard809
      @kahlernygard809 Před měsícem

      Exactly the problems had to do with silver being exchanged for opium not that opium was causing a moral panic.
      An advisor to the emperor wanted to kill everyone who used opium.

  • @jonnyqwst
    @jonnyqwst Před 6 měsíci +233

    I spent several months in china in the late eighties, my first wife was Chinese. Almost no one in the west has any idea the degree to which china today and since the 19th century have been waiting for revenge for being beaten and exploited. It’s a huge motivation in chinas rise.

    • @S0ulinth3machin3
      @S0ulinth3machin3 Před 6 měsíci +69

      I am of Chinese descent. I do not feel that way, however, my forebears do. I agree with you. I also feel like theirs (my forebears as well as China itself) is not an enlightened outlook. Such motivations perpetuate an endless cycle of violence and revenge.

    • @theolich4384
      @theolich4384 Před 6 měsíci

      ​@@S0ulinth3machin3 It's easy for the offender to preach "enlightenment", tsk, until they become the victim. The west had NOT been leading with example. Shall we not retaliate when 9/11 struck, cause violence and revenge maybe endless? Oy, there can be exception when WE do it! Boots on Ukrainian soil? Why didn't you chant Matthew 5:39 and have them turn the other cheek to the Russians, so that they can attain the enlightened outlook? FFS.

    • @byakuya3603
      @byakuya3603 Před 6 měsíci +74

      Please don’t use hateful language to describe the Chinese people. The Chinese people regard the history from 1800 to 1950 as a “humiliating history”, which made them realize that being weak would lead to destruction and enslavement. But there is also a famous saying in China: “Because I have been rained on, I want to hold an umbrella for others”. Historically, China has never initiated a war against other countries. We should not impose the Western imperialist value of “the strong should colonize other countries” on China.

    • @S0ulinth3machin3
      @S0ulinth3machin3 Před 6 měsíci +58

      ​@@byakuya3603 no one used any hateful language. That's one of the problems with Asian face culture: any sort of criticism, no matter how mild or constructive, is seen as "hate".
      The reason that's an impediment is: without criticism, you don't know your weaknesses, without understanding your weaknesses, you can never improve. When I speak of Asian face culture, it's not just China. It's nearly all of Asia. The thing about needing to save face prevents its practitioners from fully recognizing reality. The reality is: no one is perfect. Human beings are flawed.

    • @byakuya3603
      @byakuya3603 Před 6 měsíci +8

      @@S0ulinth3machin3 yes,you are really true

  • @capoislamort100
    @capoislamort100 Před 6 měsíci +18

    The Brits couldn’t conquer china though, they got India, but not old china.

    • @nicholacousins8563
      @nicholacousins8563 Před 2 měsíci +2

      Got the tea though

    • @senje4062
      @senje4062 Před měsícem

      Had the Mughals continued their reign in India, Brits would not get even India.

    • @howardmonument6093
      @howardmonument6093 Před měsícem +2

      ​@@nicholacousins8563that's all that matters 😂 ☕

    • @pearsonfrank
      @pearsonfrank Před 23 dny

      In 1903 The Brits invaded Tibet (they claimed it was to stop an Imperial Czar Russian invasion !!) they were kicked out when the Qing emperor sent troops from Beijing....

  • @anticat900
    @anticat900 Před 5 měsíci +11

    I didn't know how wealthy Chinese traders were at the time. Probably the richest people in the world. They were worldly wise too, funding and transferring cheap Chinese labour to the US to build the railway network.

  • @Sleigh
    @Sleigh Před 6 měsíci +50

    Shedding light on a key factor in modern history ❤

  • @sicks6six
    @sicks6six Před 6 měsíci +13

    Great documentary and with all the documentaries from this channel its a notch up on everyone else.🎉

  • @hmj1116
    @hmj1116 Před 3 měsíci +10

    My dad was addicted to opium at China when he ran out of money he committed suicide .

  • @terryboehler5752
    @terryboehler5752 Před 5 měsíci +21

    China wanted silver for their tea. The British said "no, we're going to introduce an addiction which will allow us to trade opium for tea.

  • @joshuajoshua7257
    @joshuajoshua7257 Před 3 měsíci +10

    Why is China getting america hooked on fentanyl?

    • @1HeatWalk
      @1HeatWalk Před 3 měsíci

      Why are Americans getting hooked on it? Did China put us at gun point to take it?

    • @DEMONIKMINION
      @DEMONIKMINION Před 2 měsíci

      They're not, Americans are getting America hooked on fentanyl. No other "civilised", "functioning" nation is in this position.

    • @janejones8672
      @janejones8672 Před 15 dny +1

      Think about it

    • @joshuajoshua7257
      @joshuajoshua7257 Před 15 dny

      @@janejones8672 because they want us dead so they can take our land. A learned tactic from its application on them by the british.

    • @godofrock
      @godofrock Před 8 dny

      Americans get Americans hooked on drugs it’s a weakness in our character that needs to be changed. U.S.A uses more drugs than most all other countries combined.

  • @youngsixty7395
    @youngsixty7395 Před 5 měsíci +137

    The fact that we get free documentaries on CZcams by Absolute History is truly a gift. 👏👏👏
    May I also remind you the fact that our Native American population in our motherland, the Continent of America before the European Colonizers arrived, was around 15 millions, while the European population in their motherland, the Continent of Europe was around 25 millions.
    Today, Native American population is 15 million, while the European population, in the Continents of America + Europe, is a staggering TWO BILLION! A shocking sad truth. 😔
    In my humble opinion, it's about time to decolonize the Colonized lands, and return it to rightful owners Native American people.
    Notorious global cardinal crimes the Christian West has committed, and benefited a great deals, such as Slavery & Colonialism had long been over, why on earth is notorious Colonization still lingering on, may I ask? 😔

    • @olefella7561
      @olefella7561 Před 5 měsíci +34

      It's a gift.

    • @michaeltownsend4644
      @michaeltownsend4644 Před 5 měsíci +34

      Exactly. Haven’t bothered with tv in jonks. The quality of some of these documentaries is extraordinary!! Would be fascinating to watch a thoroughly well researched and objective documentary on the decline of Southern Africa. Sadly it is still playing out so I guess we will have to wait a little longer to see how it plays out. The rise of modern China duplicated in Africa would be good. Just don’t hold your breath.

    • @miraeja
      @miraeja Před 5 měsíci

      @@michaeltownsend4644absolutely!! Imagine watching tv 😂

    • @TheBillaro
      @TheBillaro Před 5 měsíci +33

      the fact that most of it is wrong is worrying

    • @mohdfahmi8841
      @mohdfahmi8841 Před 5 měsíci

      // ;;//;//..;;//.

  • @dildoor
    @dildoor Před 5 měsíci +12

    Great series. Learned a lot. Thanks.

  • @OldDunollieman
    @OldDunollieman Před 6 měsíci +69

    Another brilliant episode. It is no wonder that China views the West with suspicion..

    • @bibsp3556
      @bibsp3556 Před 6 měsíci +9

      Not as much as China views the Chinese with suspicion

    • @timothy2935
      @timothy2935 Před 6 měsíci +7

      "Jealousy " there fixed it

    • @Happy_Spatula
      @Happy_Spatula Před 6 měsíci

      Recent history shows very citizen views its government with suspicion @bibsp3556

    • @ireneusjustinpolicarp8628
      @ireneusjustinpolicarp8628 Před 6 měsíci +5

      @@timothy2935 Too tame. Let’s go with envy.

    • @jackychen5578
      @jackychen5578 Před 6 měsíci

      中国对中国人抱有怀疑?什么意思@@bibsp3556

  • @philiprobinson3160
    @philiprobinson3160 Před 6 měsíci +187

    Makes me wonder if China's role in the fentanyl manufacture and America's problem with fentanyl is a form of payback/learning from the past.

    • @sisofphil
      @sisofphil Před 6 měsíci +20

      Bingo

    • @chriscarrol9373
      @chriscarrol9373 Před 5 měsíci +18

      You just figured that out now?

    • @philiprobinson3160
      @philiprobinson3160 Před 5 měsíci +8

      @@chriscarrol9373 yes!

    • @treedillon
      @treedillon Před 5 měsíci +15

      It was the raw material for manufacturing fentanyl, and exported to Mexico. As for what Americans wanted to use these, they decided. Of course, I hope they can sell the finished products directly.

    • @wenliu9571
      @wenliu9571 Před 5 měsíci +24

      Raw materials are exported to many countries. Why is it that only Americans snack on drugs?

  • @justayoutuber1906
    @justayoutuber1906 Před 6 měsíci +26

    Film production used to use up a lot of silver. Kodak went through tons per month.

  • @suburbanhoosier4791
    @suburbanhoosier4791 Před 6 měsíci +61

    A very educational video! The title is a little misleading though, i feel like this video was mostly about Chinese Silver and trade, not about Opium so much.

    • @lm6754
      @lm6754 Před 6 měsíci +3

      Yes, thank you!

    • @HuxleyCrimson
      @HuxleyCrimson Před 6 měsíci +4

      It is called click baiting. And it is purposefully and carefully crafted to this intent, to gain attraction. Just a wee bit deceptive, but the content is great though, so, forgiven.

    • @tylerpentecost9669
      @tylerpentecost9669 Před 6 měsíci +11

      ​@@HuxleyCrimsonYou aren't wrong about that, but the video made a pretty compelling case that access to Chinese silver from the silver trade *was* the reason for selling opium to China. They needed a product that the Chinese would trade their silver away for, and opium is highly addictive.

    • @georgevivaldi
      @georgevivaldi Před 5 měsíci +8

      That's the thing, the British caused a massive epidemic of heroin addiction in China just to balance their silver trade with the Qing. Just think about how callous you'd have to be to, fully aware of the consequences, shove one of the most addictive substances known down the throats of a populace. All of it to make India profitable as a colony and also balance the trade deficit.

    • @mohdfahmi8841
      @mohdfahmi8841 Před 5 měsíci

      //;;//;//;//!!//¡****;;*;;*;*;*;//.?

  • @MrTangolizard
    @MrTangolizard Před 2 měsíci +10

    Short answer is they didn’t the British just took advantage of a already large market

    • @PrimoPete
      @PrimoPete Před 24 dny

      Not large, it was relatively large, but the Brits just overran their economy with more than it could sustain, same thing in India and other British colonies.

    • @pearsonfrank
      @pearsonfrank Před 23 dny

      Remind me what logic have you used? The Brits were the East India Company they enslaved Benagli farmers to grow the Opium, which starved many Indians.... ah sorry I now realise you support Afghanistan growing poppies to supply the huge western markets.

    • @awen777
      @awen777 Před 6 dny

      BS!

    • @MrTangolizard
      @MrTangolizard Před 5 dny

      @@awen777 it’s not bs at all nobody was forced to take opium

  • @user-martinpd
    @user-martinpd Před 6 měsíci +12

    I like the statement about people looking at steamships and thinking they ran on fire. When people look at clouds they think they are looking at a question waiting for an answer instead of a fluid acting in a certain way, with certain colors, in a larger fluid.

  • @orlaighsinead
    @orlaighsinead Před 4 měsíci +4

    I learned so much, thanks for the insight. Well done.

  • @digitalnomad5643
    @digitalnomad5643 Před 6 měsíci +296

    Brilliant presentation of Chinese history that explains why present day China remains hell-bent on modernizing itself.

    • @iggy5347
      @iggy5347 Před 6 měsíci

      No. China needs to be careful with the liberal democracy. Its creates chaos between left and right like in the US. The US is becoming china 1900 with forever war and high debt . And with US weak gov the fentanyl crisis is out of control

    • @snuscaboose1942
      @snuscaboose1942 Před 6 měsíci

      If it was modernizing why turn to backwards to Communism? Communism always leads to corruption, ethno-Nationalism, conflict and suffering.

    • @natenope7258
      @natenope7258 Před 6 měsíci

      * and flooding us with fentanyl

    • @frankhill4358
      @frankhill4358 Před 6 měsíci +15

      Huh?? Have you seen Shenzhen or Shanghai? China has and is modernizing itself although they do it under the Chinese system

    • @jnev5572
      @jnev5572 Před 6 měsíci +18

      ​@@frankhill4358generational trauma is a helluva thing

  • @rdatta
    @rdatta Před 6 měsíci +73

    This is one of the finest documentaries in this space. Many others cover the Opium Wars and aftermath but the discussion here of the eye-watering amounts of the reparations, the predation by western powers and Japan is astounding. This subject deserves to be better known.

    • @Phyto.
      @Phyto. Před 6 měsíci +4

      The previous part of this docuseries dealt with the opium wars.

    • @AnhNguyen-hn9vj
      @AnhNguyen-hn9vj Před 5 měsíci

      It is one gigantic drug cartel spread to many western powers. The most scary thing is they have infiltrate the government and the military. Just scary to think how big this cartel is in modern day. I think there is a reason why Japan attack the American harbor. The drug cartel in America may want to interfere with the Japanese occupation in China. There is why u keep hearing on the news about American interest. No body knows for sure if it is the drug cartel interest.

    • @butterflystampede1945
      @butterflystampede1945 Před 4 měsíci

      We know enough about how you treat anyone who is not Han chinese

    • @dtbetter2277
      @dtbetter2277 Před 3 měsíci

      China how not even gotten .01 back from what was stolen from her by Japan and the Western Powers...dangerous time now in the SCS and Taiwan straits....

  • @jayarajmaduturi3514
    @jayarajmaduturi3514 Před 6 měsíci +52

    Fun fact :The Opium Wars primarily involved British trade with China, However the British did play a significant role in the Indian tea trade. In the 19th century, the British East India Company controlled India and sought to establish a profitable tea industry. They promoted tea cultivation in India as an alternative to Chinese tea, which had become expensive due to increased demand.

    • @phouance2673
      @phouance2673 Před 6 měsíci +5

      just like today US want to trans the supply chain to india😅

    • @roro4787
      @roro4787 Před 6 měsíci +10

      @@phouance2673 I hope India and China work together to solve problems than repeating history

    • @bill4056
      @bill4056 Před 6 měsíci

      And India's pm Modi is becoming a puppet again of the BRITISH.History repeat itself.

    • @r2dxhate
      @r2dxhate Před 6 měsíci

      There was also more than one East India Trading Company.

    • @bill4056
      @bill4056 Před 6 měsíci +9

      The owner of Hongkong and Shanghai Bank is also British, an Original owners of OPIUM. One of the Surname is Forbes, They are billionaires now because of the opium they had sold to chinese.

  • @cassandra8620
    @cassandra8620 Před 3 měsíci +21

    The British can be blamed for a lot, but don‘t mention😮

    • @saintadolf5639
      @saintadolf5639 Před 2 měsíci +10

      The Sassoon family? Those who actually controlled the opium trade and made an enormous fortune from it? The same Sassoon family that only permitted jews to work for them in the opium trade? Isn't it strange how the British are always blamed for the opium trade...but they were not permitted into the opium trade because they were not jewish.

    • @tarakabuddha
      @tarakabuddha Před 2 měsíci +1

      Same goes for Turkey

    • @aldozilli1293
      @aldozilli1293 Před 2 měsíci

      Emotional damage

    • @TheMrkcl
      @TheMrkcl Před 2 měsíci

      ​@@tarakabuddha reason?

    • @DEMONIKMINION
      @DEMONIKMINION Před 2 měsíci

      @@saintadolf5639 Everything is Britains fault according to the clown who spew this crooked BS.

  • @user-po7xn8ri7r
    @user-po7xn8ri7r Před 6 měsíci +11

    Can anyone inform if the lord Elgin that burned the summer palace was the same that destroyed the Parthenon in Greece?

    • @Untapped8819
      @Untapped8819 Před 5 měsíci +8

      The one that took the marbles from the Parthenon was the father of the one who destroyed the summer palace.... family tradition maybe?? 😬😳

  • @arsalanmirza3411
    @arsalanmirza3411 Před 5 měsíci +6

    What was British India’s role in the OPIUM WARS 💥 and the Indian Gujarati BANIA and Parsi Traders involvement in procuring and shipping Opium should be highlighted as well to understand why CHINA 🇨🇳 and INDIA 🇮🇳 are in Territorial CONFLICT ☠️ even today ‼️

  • @davidhill1634
    @davidhill1634 Před 6 měsíci +7

    Send this documentary to the state department

  • @DuyPham-xd8lp
    @DuyPham-xd8lp Před 6 měsíci +11

    China being synonymous with quality silver feels just so weird

  • @robertvandriest-harrington3651
    @robertvandriest-harrington3651 Před 5 měsíci +6

    My Mother's family [the Harringtons] as a Upperclass family made one of their financial killings during the Opium Wars!

  • @droopypie
    @droopypie Před 6 měsíci +19

    "Love of money is a root of all evil."

  • @GSteel-rh9iu
    @GSteel-rh9iu Před 6 měsíci +13

    These are exquisitely produced documentaries on a fascinating time in History. However they shape the narrative so it is not very clear to what extent colonialism harmed people in India and China. In stark terms over the period 1769 - 1945 over a 100million people in India died from famines caused by colonial food export systems.

  • @UndaCuvaChikin
    @UndaCuvaChikin Před 6 měsíci +16

    Man, I love this channel. The documentaries are so damn good.

  • @generalofgermany4385
    @generalofgermany4385 Před 6 měsíci +3

    Hey guys, I absolutely love this series of documemtaries and I noticed that parts of the movie "The Opium War" are used. There also seems to be another movie about the second opium war used in this documentary but I cannot find it. Do any of you know what this other movie is called and where I could watch it?
    Thanks in advance :)

  • @Guvnor6
    @Guvnor6 Před 6 měsíci +74

    In every chinese household they're reminded of the 8 allied nations stealing and invading China lest they forget

    • @Chunkballfairy
      @Chunkballfairy Před 6 měsíci

      I hope they are also reminded of Chinese stealing and invading Korea Korea and a dozen other countries for 300 years prior to this. The Chinese were not peaceful victims they were big bullies that met a bigger bully

    • @atodaso1668
      @atodaso1668 Před 5 měsíci +15

      But they are not taught about Tiananmen square where the army massacred protesting students.

    • @here_we_go_again2571
      @here_we_go_again2571 Před 4 měsíci +6

      @@atodaso1668
      Exactly!
      Mao is still lionized
      Xi appears to be
      trying to imitate him.

    • @dtbetter2277
      @dtbetter2277 Před 3 měsíci

      @@atodaso1668 CIA....don't be naive...it's been the play book of the west...since the Spanish and UK colonization of the world...blame the CIA agents in using the students and in turn they are the murders in Tiananmen sq.

    • @Rav01508
      @Rav01508 Před 2 měsíci

      ​@@atodaso1668 did they tell u about the failed CIA operation to overthrow govts and flase flag operation???

  • @areuokay4984
    @areuokay4984 Před 6 měsíci +6

    The silver part was extraordinary

  • @jimsullivanyoutube
    @jimsullivanyoutube Před měsícem +1

    Awesome video! Thank you!

  • @pearsonfrank
    @pearsonfrank Před měsícem +3

    Hart the Irish man who helped the Chinese modernise, had seen the genocide the English inflicted upon his homeland.. He had every incentive to even the scales.

  • @upadhyayrathiraj1518
    @upadhyayrathiraj1518 Před 2 měsíci +10

    The British forced Indian farmers of Bengal to abandon their traditional farming and produce opium. This resulted in severe financial losses and loss of food products in India. The opium was sold in China by the British...the original drug-runners.

    • @russcooke5671
      @russcooke5671 Před měsícem

      That how the so called ROYAL FAMILY Got so rich. Drug peddlers destroying millions of lives. The Chinese are getting even now though. Fentenyl is destroying America.

    • @PrimoPete
      @PrimoPete Před 24 dny

      ​@@bonbonbonfireyes impressive...... impressively evil and slimy.

  • @johnwilson5637
    @johnwilson5637 Před měsícem +3

    It wasn't "Britain" that got China addicted, it was the Honourable East India Company - the largest conglomerate the world has ever seen. Drug trade and Slavery were two of the reasons they were nationalised by the British Government and an end put to their drug and slave trafficking.

    • @jeannettestuckelschwaiger5071
      @jeannettestuckelschwaiger5071 Před 2 dny

      The Hounourable East India company was british dutch company that trade in opium for chinese silver porcelain spices and other luxurious chinese products. British and dutch were gentlemen who traded in drug.

  • @lockejohn18
    @lockejohn18 Před 19 dny +2

    Mr Krabs describes the British interest best "Money. Money money money money money"

  • @beckybnyc322
    @beckybnyc322 Před 5 měsíci +4

    China is using the same strategy with fentanyl 💔

    • @nuo.not1033
      @nuo.not1033 Před 5 měsíci

      Modern people are not stupid Qing Dynasty people, everyone knows what fentanyl can do, but why do they buy it? By the way, the US has banned the import of Chinese fentanyl, they are buying the raw material that China sells to Mexico, if the buyer has no demand, the seller can't sell the product anyway.

  • @CallMeByMyMatingName
    @CallMeByMyMatingName Před 6 měsíci +23

    Very well produced documentary.
    I really appreciate voice-over translation when someone speaks a different language. It helps greatly with maintaining the flow and consistency, and allows one to not have to read the spoken words in a video... I wish this video had incorporated that.

    • @Alphoric
      @Alphoric Před 6 měsíci +2

      Ok 👍 this is CZcams that’s not a possibility and that just costs money. Not everything in this world is designed for you

    • @Phyto.
      @Phyto. Před 6 měsíci

      Most American comment I've read in ages. Just say you are too lazy to read and get on with it.

    • @bill4056
      @bill4056 Před 6 měsíci +2

      It gives more credibility to this video if the person interviewed speak what she said originally

    • @ericmunene8521
      @ericmunene8521 Před 5 měsíci +2

      It really helps for those who listen to these educational movies while working.

  • @Waiting_To_Retire
    @Waiting_To_Retire Před 6 měsíci +6

    Riveting. Loved it.

  • @barbaracrain2975
    @barbaracrain2975 Před 6 měsíci +1

    Great information

  • @pearsonfrank
    @pearsonfrank Před měsícem +31

    I am a Brit. For 60 years I have been waiting for those we oppressed, enslaved and impoverished to exact their revenge. China is correctly leading the way legally with diligence. Not all Brits are or were bad people but no one has ever sought to apologise or pay Reparation

    • @SmilerORocker
      @SmilerORocker Před měsícem +2

      I appreciate your comment. 🇮🇪👍

    • @paulforan7291
      @paulforan7291 Před 29 dny

      Stop it you numty. Stop trying to be bloody PC. I'm also a British citizen and also innocent of PAST transgressions our political correct Beta-Britian carried out but reparations? You for real? Tell you what why don't Africa, Rome, Greece, USA and every single country pay reparations for all of the people enslaved for past so called crimes? Where does it begin? Ancient Rome? Be quite with your whingeing of our amazing country and stop trying to get likes by being so beta PC.
      Rant over 😆 🤣 😂

    • @paulforan7291
      @paulforan7291 Před 29 dny

      ​@pearsonfrank. Stop it you numty. Stop trying to be bloody PC. I'm also a British citizen and also innocent of PAST transgressions our political correct Beta-Britian carried out but reparations? You for real? Tell you what why don't Africa, Rome, Greece, USA and every single country pay reparations for all of the people enslaved for past so called crimes? Where does it begin? Ancient Rome? Be quite with your whingeing of our amazing country and stop trying to get likes by being so beta PC.
      Rant over 😆 🤣 😂

    • @Lupescs
      @Lupescs Před 23 dny

      Appreciated, I'm a Chinese. I'm studying in Bristol. I love UK and British people, I've been a lot of cites in Britain, I love all those places.

    • @xggong8261
      @xggong8261 Před 19 dny +1

      I am Chinese. When we studied history, we learned about the Opium War. The Opium War was a watershed in modern Chinese history. Of course, from today's perspective, the Opium War is still undeniably evil and has caused serious harm to China. However, on the other hand, Britain has since opened the door to China's feudalism and began to enjoy and accept Western civilization and its fine qualities. The rule of law, equal human rights, and respect for private property have allowed China to gradually move from feudal barbarism and backwardness to modern civilization. I am grateful to the United Kingdom for this.

  • @paden1865able
    @paden1865able Před 5 měsíci +3

    And people wonder why China despises most of the other countries in the world. Memories are long and grudges remain. I don't blame them.

    • @wenliu9571
      @wenliu9571 Před 5 měsíci

      It is neither contempt nor hostility, and the magnanimity and tolerance of the Chinese people are far beyond the understanding of other countries.
      This is why China has dozens of different ethnic groups and religious beliefs, a huge territory, but can always achieve complete unity, and return to strength again and again.
      This is why the Mongols, who occupied more than half of Eurasia, were not massacred and expelled after the collapse of the regime, but gradually integrated into China and became Chinese. In 1771, a Mongolian under the rule of Russia returned to China on the east bank of the Volga River, and was accepted and settled by the Chinese emperor, and has multiplied to this day. This is a good example.
      Now it is just a repetition of history and a return to the status it once had.

    • @wenliu9571
      @wenliu9571 Před 5 měsíci

      Maybe what people think of as contempt is just a sense of cultural superiority. He is definitely not despising and discriminating in a narrow sense.

  • @HDsharp
    @HDsharp Před 6 měsíci +247

    Just listen to the Brit. He said 'why should Britian be restricted in trade with China. Excuse me, what kind of entitlement is that? What gives Brits the right to trade with China in the first place? China can trade with whom they want, how they want Because they had the goods. That's how business works, they had the leverage.

    • @theodorekorehonen
      @theodorekorehonen Před 6 měsíci +44

      It seems the brits had the leverage in the end though, no?

    • @rusticbox9908
      @rusticbox9908 Před 6 měsíci

      The Brits were the bullies of the day, now they've merely been replaced by someone stronger.

    • @HDsharp
      @HDsharp Před 6 měsíci +106

      @@theodorekorehonen As usual by warmongering. Once a thief always a thief.

    • @bibsp3556
      @bibsp3556 Před 6 měsíci +12

      Loks like they didn't have a big enough lever after all.

    • @HDsharp
      @HDsharp Před 6 měsíci +35

      @@bibsp3556 That's not the point. The point is the Brits couldn't afford to buy tea, they should have shopped at Poundland!😂

  • @Bomber_Fish
    @Bomber_Fish Před 5 měsíci +2

    This is the number one reason why in Southeast Asia the war on drugs looks very different than its western counterpart.

  • @Skygt2RS
    @Skygt2RS Před 6 měsíci +3

    Same reason any drug dealer wants addiction amongst their customers
    Repeat business

  • @youknowmyname9915
    @youknowmyname9915 Před 6 měsíci +10

    Unexpected Wilhelm scream at 24:55 🤣

  • @postscript5549
    @postscript5549 Před 6 měsíci +4

    I enjoyed the first forty minutes of this podcast. I will return to see more of this interesting and educational video. Thank you.

    • @bill4056
      @bill4056 Před 6 měsíci

      I subscribed to this Channel absolute History. Ni e video

  • @jafo766
    @jafo766 Před 27 dny +1

    Now Britain has us hooked on insurance and debt......

  • @phooichunlau7827
    @phooichunlau7827 Před 22 dny +1

    Thanks. Very interesting history🙏🥰

  • @mattbonanza9032
    @mattbonanza9032 Před 6 měsíci +4

    My teacher was right, history is the mother of the future 🙈. Never the same, but similarity is astonishing...

  • @Sheba386
    @Sheba386 Před 2 měsíci +6

    It was disgusting what they did to the Chinese. I remember learning this at school.

    • @liamburns8554
      @liamburns8554 Před měsícem

      Don’t worry China have made up for it in the last 70 years 👌

  • @TechkiV
    @TechkiV Před 2 měsíci +2

    And now they thank them by sending fentanyl

  • @thnwgrl
    @thnwgrl Před 6 měsíci +1

    Empires of silver....as I'm in the middle of reading RF Kuang's Babel, this title brings the chills

  • @eugenearyee5309
    @eugenearyee5309 Před 6 měsíci +8

    Man I myself I’m addicted to opium , shout out carti

    • @Alsatiagent
      @Alsatiagent Před 6 měsíci +3

      It's a lot less destructive than synthetic heroin. Highly addictive, yes, but not nearly as dangerous as fentanyl or oxy.

    • @SEDATEDSlothRecords6083
      @SEDATEDSlothRecords6083 Před 6 měsíci +2

      Im self recovering from firstly oxy and now have morphin to supplement which is much better. Having traditional opium more available would be nice. But Im quiting it slowly by now

    • @colleenpeck6347
      @colleenpeck6347 Před 6 měsíci +1

      ​@@SEDATEDSlothRecords6083 Morphine is addictive also. Try Tramadol it isn't addictive when taken AS DIRECTED!

    • @bigboss-tl2xr
      @bigboss-tl2xr Před 5 měsíci

      ​@@SEDATEDSlothRecords6083Easy to grow🤷🏼‍♂️

  • @LS1056
    @LS1056 Před 6 měsíci +16

    I would highly recommend everyone to check out Kings and General podcast, they covered this period and a deeper dive. This is wonderful!

  • @ethanf.6848
    @ethanf.6848 Před 5 měsíci +1

    In every setback, there is a valuable lesson to be learnt.

  • @inkstain84
    @inkstain84 Před 6 měsíci +48

    Interesting how literally none of this is taught in US history.

    • @but_at_what_cost
      @but_at_what_cost Před 6 měsíci +5

      所以不奇怪,当犹太人觉得全世界都欠他们的时候,中国人只会想你们的苦难根本排不上号。

    • @efnefgedhg139
      @efnefgedhg139 Před 6 měsíci +1

      in white people history.

    • @adrianseanheidmann4559
      @adrianseanheidmann4559 Před 6 měsíci

      We learn like a tiny bit about it in German history classes, but just because Germny had the Tsingtao colony.

    • @Chunkballfairy
      @Chunkballfairy Před 6 měsíci

      @@but_at_what_costit’s hilarious how we’re supposed to feel bad for china because they got colonized while ignoring the fact that they were colonizing Korea , Taiwan, Myanmar and Tibet like they got a taste of their own medicine and now we should all be sad.

    • @enilacenilac6168
      @enilacenilac6168 Před 6 měsíci +1

      Too young you only focus on USA😅

  • @georgerobartes2008
    @georgerobartes2008 Před 3 měsíci +3

    Little or nothing to do with the Opium trade and what there is , is according to Chinese historians. Can't wait until the next production " Why did Britain get the World Addicted to Tobacco " or " Why did Britain get the World Addicted to Railways " , then " Why did Britain get the World Addicted to International Trade " perhaps ?

  • @pmmsfc
    @pmmsfc Před měsícem +2

    Moral corruption is the heart of weakness

  • @DavidVeitch54
    @DavidVeitch54 Před 5 měsíci +2

    TOPCON is going to use a huge amount of silver in its next generation solar panels and probably why physical silver prices are being depressed. Fabulous story about the centrality of silver in civilizations rises and falls and to be continued.

  • @RichardBrett899
    @RichardBrett899 Před 6 měsíci +3

    Drugs such as opioid, cocaine, heroine, etc., are very addictive. Just look at the drug addicts living in the streets of America!

  • @gregcooks-qr9wk
    @gregcooks-qr9wk Před 6 měsíci +3

    The shipping company was P&O

  • @lauravastag8587
    @lauravastag8587 Před 3 měsíci +2

    And now they are returning the favor with fentanyl 😳

  • @dunkleosteus430
    @dunkleosteus430 Před 5 měsíci

    I love this series.

  • @martinphilip8998
    @martinphilip8998 Před 6 měsíci +15

    Elgin’s family is also associated with theft of marble statuary of the Parthenon.

    • @maralfniqle5092
      @maralfniqle5092 Před 6 měsíci

      They plundered every country they went into

    • @revolutionaryhamburger
      @revolutionaryhamburger Před 6 měsíci +3

      Not just Elgin. In 1687, during the Venetian siege of the Acropolis, Moslem Turks were using the pagan Parthenon as a store for gunpowder. This was ignited. The explosion blew out the heart of the building, destroying the roof, shattering the statuary and pulverizing parts of the walls and knocking down the colonnade. Wonder what was left to loot.

    • @martinphilip8998
      @martinphilip8998 Před 6 měsíci +2

      @@revolutionaryhamburger When you watch the British version of Antiques Roadshow they will sometimes analyze something they found in the garden. Sometimes this is loot from the destruction of the summer palace. The French had the dirtiest hands in this attack on culture.

  • @thelastbison2241
    @thelastbison2241 Před 6 měsíci +14

    Amazing how a handful of people can drive history; always has been the case.

    • @fredm.2699
      @fredm.2699 Před 4 měsíci

      Now do you see why when people say Jews run the world it’s anti semiotic? Why? Because none of the people mentioned here are Jews. Anyone can rule the world if they care to work that hard.

  • @cjason123
    @cjason123 Před 6 měsíci +2

    3000 to set fire to 1 palace? That's nuts

  • @equarg
    @equarg Před 6 měsíci +2

    Dang. Fascinating 3 part series!
    Learned more listening (at work) then I ever did and in school

  • @Willys-Wagon
    @Willys-Wagon Před 6 měsíci +9

    You know being able to print dollars is infinitely better.

    • @UnimportantAcc
      @UnimportantAcc Před 6 měsíci +1

      Having the entire world reliant on your own made-up currency certainly has its benefits 😌

  • @RedRomanov
    @RedRomanov Před 6 měsíci +17

    And of course it won't be a history video without a hidden Wilhelm scream

  • @kenmason1461
    @kenmason1461 Před měsícem +1

    Because Britain would have went broke if they had to pay for the tea in silver

    • @robtherub
      @robtherub Před měsícem

      They were The Tea Wars

  • @teamhandsome1974
    @teamhandsome1974 Před 3 měsíci +2

    Slightly mis-listed as it’s more about China and its reliance on the Silver Standard, although it does cover the basics of the Opium Wars. It is very insightful for us westerners. And good to see history other that WWI and WWII (not that I’m totally against such content, but it’s good to find wider content).

  • @noreply-7069
    @noreply-7069 Před 5 měsíci +3

    14:17 That air looks so disgusting. So much smog.

  • @Jason-mg2vj
    @Jason-mg2vj Před 6 měsíci +3

    You already uploaded this video with a different title?

  • @Gettingback997
    @Gettingback997 Před 2 měsíci +1

    A very educational video

  • @brucefranklin1317
    @brucefranklin1317 Před měsícem +1

    Summer palace destruction was very bad.

  • @litneyloxan
    @litneyloxan Před 6 měsíci +3

    Mans on the left in the thumbnail looks like Mr Bean. Good luck unseeing it.

  • @nvelsen1975
    @nvelsen1975 Před 5 měsíci +4

    "Any goods that the West had except one: Opium"
    Not entirely. The major source of the drug was a cartle of savage drug dealers from India, a certain Tata. Drugdealing made Tata so rich that they still form the biggest conglomerate in India and their role is measured in percent of total GDP.

  • @dao3740
    @dao3740 Před měsícem

    Terrific ! Thank you. …

  • @philipstowers4741
    @philipstowers4741 Před 3 měsíci +1

    Great documentary, but good grief, the air in some of those cities looks downright hard to breathe.

    • @DEMONIKMINION
      @DEMONIKMINION Před 2 měsíci

      Suppose thats Britains fault too if you ask these cretins.

  • @johnmichaelkarma
    @johnmichaelkarma Před 6 měsíci +9

    her very last words- "those who cannot learn from the story of silver will forced to pay the price" YES! The run-up in silver and gold has begun and it will make 76'-80' look very tame in comparison.

  • @Ashley-vs8nu
    @Ashley-vs8nu Před 6 měsíci +60

    Ahh British hostility--a tale as old as time

    • @paulomartins1008
      @paulomartins1008 Před 6 měsíci

      The brits aren't as old as time... lmao

    • @Ashley-vs8nu
      @Ashley-vs8nu Před 6 měsíci +15

      ​@@paulomartins1008 nuance is an art

    • @gregbors8364
      @gregbors8364 Před 6 měsíci +1

      “Now let’s all honor the men who died to keep China British.”
      - John Cleese, “The Meaning of Life”

    • @rapier1954
      @rapier1954 Před 6 měsíci

      @@Ashley-vs8nu Quit trying to sound smart people like you the way you are.

    • @iainreid6292
      @iainreid6292 Před 6 měsíci

      @@rapier1954 Shut it Yank.

  • @brunojm7282
    @brunojm7282 Před 3 měsíci +2

    Unfortunately the one with the bigger stick wins

  • @BJMStan
    @BJMStan Před 2 měsíci

    Inefficient markets are a problem for people participating in those markets. Inefficient means of exchange is critical

  • @imfirstatachaijr.johnner4240
    @imfirstatachaijr.johnner4240 Před 4 měsíci +5

    Bet they never covered this story in their schools, huh?🤣

  • @CryptoX-kr3wu
    @CryptoX-kr3wu Před 5 měsíci +31

    China has never forgotten this period in history when it was bullied by the West and its sovereignty was trampled on. Scholars would argue that’s part of the reason why China has risen to world superpower status in such a short amount of time.

  • @NicholasKuhne
    @NicholasKuhne Před 5 měsíci

    Excellent storytelling.

  • @brianbeville545
    @brianbeville545 Před měsícem

    Why wouldn't the camera man tell him he has 4 or 6 rabbit ears on his head during the interview 😂😂😂😂😂😂😅

  • @cathleenweston3541
    @cathleenweston3541 Před 6 měsíci +47

    And that is Why we have a FENTANYL problem. Exactly this. China never forgets.

    • @HDsharp
      @HDsharp Před 6 měsíci

      That's nonsense. China isn't pushing no illegal drugs. It's the cartels that's shipping them to the US. China just produces them. If they don't, India will be the only produces.

    • @wolfu597
      @wolfu597 Před 6 měsíci +1

      If that's the case, why is it directed at the US, and not Britain? US involvement in the opium trade was much smaller than that of the Britain, so shouldn't it be directed towards the UK?
      Also in 2020, China unleashed a virus that killed 6 million world wide, while causing immense economic damage, not just to the Western countries, but even more so at home. The world will never forget the crimes of the CCP.

    • @threewishes777
      @threewishes777 Před 6 měsíci

      It kills 100k people in usa? Out of 331 million Americans

    • @Crew2.Hellcats
      @Crew2.Hellcats Před 6 měsíci +4

      Holly shit U right there

    • @joedirt3449
      @joedirt3449 Před 6 měsíci +3

      They love you long time

  • @PenelopePitstop888
    @PenelopePitstop888 Před 6 měsíci +61

    China was making the Brits pay for tea with silver, instead of having a reciprocal trade of goods. Tea import barons wanted to keep their silver. So they flooded China with opium from their lucrative poppy fields, located in colonial India ~ so the rigid societal control of China would fail, to the British advantage.

    • @loneranger9376
      @loneranger9376 Před 6 měsíci +6

      what happened when the Chinese tried to stop the import of opium?

    • @karabelle67
      @karabelle67 Před 6 měsíci +21

      ​​@@loneranger9376the First and Second Opium wars.

    • @HDsharp
      @HDsharp Před 6 měsíci

      Because Britain had nothing the Chinese wanted! If you can't convince another country to accept your goods, it's the fault of your sales diplomats not the fault of the Chinese. China didn't force UK to buy tea from them. No one forced the British to trade with China, the British opted to trade with China themselves. China would of remained dominant with or without British trade. So The Chinese was in a position to call the shots. If you then decide to smuggle illegal goods and become illegal drug pushers then that's what you are! And live with a legacy that the British empire was built from the profits derived from importing illegal drugs to China.

    • @g.d.2059
      @g.d.2059 Před 6 měsíci +11

      ​@@loneranger9376..... It literally tells you what happens in the the first 5 min...

    • @iggy5347
      @iggy5347 Před 6 měsíci

      Thanks to the opium war today china is learning from history, china is opening up to foreign trades,build strong military today with nukes and now sending fentanyl to the US and earns $1 trillions a years. And chinese is everywhere in the western world so thanks to the british empire opened up china by force. Meanwhile the british handed back $500 billions hongkong economy after 150 years (hongkong used to be pirate and criminals infested). Portugal handed back $200 billions macau to china, tibet had returned to china from the british and xinjiang returned to china as well from the anglo french empire. ONLY 1 LEFT GUYS WHICH IS TAIWAN FROM THE USA