The Voice for "Waging War on Opium Trade by Opium Trade" during the Late Qing and the Irrationality of Modern Economic Nationalism

The voice for waging war on opium by opium trade was an important form of modern economic nationalism, which gave a good account of itself since the late Qing. After the Opium War, the Qing court was unable to effectively ban the foreign opium. To curb the invasion of foreign opium, many social personages advocated lifting the ban on local opium and enlarging the poppy - planting area. This view was not only voiced by the common literati, but also echoed by some high and local officials of the Qing court. At the same time, some foreigners and the domestic gentry kept in contact with each other on this issue, and the secular or Christian newspapers and journals all published related opinions. As one kind of the irrational economic nationalism, the voice for waging war on opium by opium trade led to incalculable negative influences on the society and the country during the late Qing.