Deadly Dreams: Opium and the Arrow War (1856–1860) in China (Cambridge Studies in Chinese History, Literature and Institutions)
Cambridge University Press, 9/10/1998
EAN 9780521552554, ISBN10: 0521552559
Hardcover, 576 pages, 22.9 x 15.2 x 3.7 cm
Language: English
The Arrow War (1856–60) involved all the world's major powers, and could almost be called a world war because of the global economic and diplomatic issues driving it. For twenty-five years Dr John Wong has been trying to discover the true origins of the war. What began as a study of an alleged insult to the British flag supposedly flying over the boat Arrow led to an analysis of complex Chinese and British diplomacy; of the even more complex Chinese tea and silk exports; of British India's jealously guarded economic strategies and opium monopoly; of cotton supplied to the Lancashire mills by the Americans, who thereby made up their trade deficit with China occasioned by their heavy purchases of tea; of intricate Westminster politics and British global trade; of French pride and cultural priorities; of Russian intrigues and territorial designs; and of America's apparent aloofness and real ambitions.
Part I. The Confusion of Imperialism
1. An attempt to peel the onion of confusion
Part II. The Pretext for Imperialism
2. An international incident
'that wretched question of the Arrow'
Part III. The Personalities of Imperialism
3. Harry Parkes
'if you would read a little international law.' - Punch
4. Sir John Bowring
possessed by a monomania
5. Commissioner Yeh
a 'monster'?
6. Rule, Britannia and vox populi, vox Dei
Part IV. The Rhetoric of Imperialism
7. Marx, Punch, and a political press
the debate among the British newspapers
8. The Arrow incident and international law
the debate in the House of Lords
9. Triumph of the liberal conscience
the debate in the House of Commons
10. 'Johnny is on his knees'
the 'Chinese Election'
Part V. The Mechanics of Imperialism
11. Behind the scenes
the diplomacy of imperialism
12. Behind the scenes
the politics of imperialism
13. In the wings
the lobbies of imperialism
Part VI. The Economics of Imperialism
14. Anglo-Chinese trade
the Chinese should buy more
15. China's maritime trade
the Chinese could buy more
16. The problem of India
the Chinese should and could buy more
17. The balance sheet
the Chinese are now buying more
Part VII. The Dynamics of Imperialism
18. Conclusion.