How does the Opium War between China and Britain result in the development of nationalism?

[Dynamite128]

The Opium War (1839-42). I am wonder how it effected the development of nationalism in China.

[Exco]

The Opium Wars were some of the most vital events in modern Chinese history, and marked an end to China's "Closed Door" policy against the world, by British cannons tearing the proud Chinese military apart.

To understand Chinese anger against the Opium Wars you must understand their surrounding context - Britain, instead of attempting to colonise China as a whole (as they did in India), attempted a new strategy, of deliberately mass-importing opium into Chinese markets, weaken Chinese society, creating an exponential demand as a result of addiction. Masses of Chinese were weakened by the affect of opium, and social disorder erupted with addicts willing to do anything to get their hands on more drugs.

You can see the inexcusable immorality of this act.

The imperial Qing government was put into a dilemma - on one hand they fear offending the British, who they knew had far superior weaponry, that could easily wage war on China, who would loose. On the other hand, however, the government had to endure witnessing its society and people sinking deeper into irreversible addiction.

The Qing government's attempt to compromise with the British was seen as cowardice by the furious Chinese public, who saw the British as invaders slowly destroying their nation.

In the end the Qing government was forced to act against addiction, and banned all opium trade and possession. As planned, the British government used this as an excuse of "breaching trade equalities" and declared war on China, which, as predicted, the Chinese lost badly.

As "compensation" for their "efforts", the British demanded China to concede vital trading ports and surrounding areas to British control (e.g. Hong Kong), and ordered the Chinese government to pay millions of taels silver as "compensation fee".

The Qing government's failure to protect its people, protect the country, and the public witnessing Chinese land being forcefully taken as British soil sparked nationwide protests against the weak imperialist government. It is at this time that radicals within China began to look for alternative forms of government that would abolish the old regime, and unite the country once more against foreign invaders - hence, the birth of Nationalism and Communism in China.