The Opium War: How the Chinese Qing Dynasty Got Poisoned For Profit

This is the story of opium in China — a story not just of drugs and war, but also of greed, diplomacy and unintended consequences.

If we take the long view, 19th century China was an altogether self-sufficient superpower. The Qing Dynasty, with its inflexible traditions and isolationist practices, ruled over a formidable and prosperous empire. Chinese silk, porcelain, and, most of all, tea were in high demand in Britain.