MerchantsofWarandPeacechallengesconventionalargumentsthatthemajordrivingforcesoftheFirstOpiumWarweretheinfamousopiumsmugglingtrade,thedefenceofBritishnationalhonour,andculturalconflictsbetween‘progressive’Britainand‘backward’China.Instead,itarguesthatthewarwasstartedbyagroupofBritishmerchantsintheChineseportofCantoninthe1830s,knownasthe‘Warlikeparty’.LivinginaperiodwhenBritishknowledgeofChinawasgrowingrapidly,theWarlikepartycametounderstandChina’sweaknessanditsmembersreturnedtoLondontolobbyforinterventionuntilwarbrokeoutin1839.
However,theWarlikepartydidnotgetitswayentirely.AnothergroupofBritishmerchantsknowninCantonasthe‘Pacificparty’opposedthewar.InBritain,theanti-warmovementgavetheconflictitsinfamousname,the‘OpiumWar’,whichhasstuckeversince.UsingmaterialshousedintheNationalArchives,UK,theFirstHistoricalArchivesofChina,theNationalPalaceMuseum,theBritishLibrary,SOASLibrary,andCambridgeUniversityLibrary,thismeticulouslyresearchedandlucidvolumeisanewhistoryofthecauseoftheFirstOpiumWar.
PROGRESSIVE BRITISH UK CHINA MERCHANTS MAKING
