There have been numerous political and economic events that had led to the development

of Chinas economy and government including struggles within its territories and as well as
external struggles with Western powers. The Opium War was one of the external conflicts that
marked a major transition in Chinese history as it opened up the isolated empire to the West.
This paper will examine the economic, social, and political effects that the Opium War brought
on China. This paper will outline the history and events that led up to the military expedition, the
war itself, and the aftermath.
Annotated Bibliography:
J., B. B. (2012). The Opium War: Drugs, Dreams and the Making of China. Contemporary
Review, 294(1704), 133-134.
The author is keen to show how the Opium War fit into the misunderstanding between China and
the West and how those wars continue to influence Anglo-Chinese relations. The main dispute
was, to the British, a trade war and a fight against excessive Chinese trade regulation that
produced an imbalance of trade. The Chinese saw this as an attempt by Western powers to gain
too much say in Chinese life.
It also mentions how the British avoided paying with silver and used opium as an exchange for
tea, silk, and porcelain. Opium was illegal in China at the time. China fought against this but
ended up with a black economy and trade ran by smugglers.