Civil War Rifles

British Imperialism in China
The Industrial Revolution, a period of economic growth and technological development, greatly influenced much of Europe, allowing Western powers to dominate many overseas territories between 1850 and 1914. At the time, non-Western nations in Africa and Asia were in decline, experiencing political instability, civil uprisings, lack of unity, and other internal problems, making them prime targets for increasingly powerful Western empires. This “new imperialism”, or control of another country’s political, economic, and social life, was demonstrated by British domination of China and its economy. Under British influence, China was forced to make concessions, or special trading privileges, to Western nations, exposing its economy to foreign exploitation. Britain was able to exert great control over China and its trade because of Britain’s superior military, the prosperous British economy, and the vulnerability of the weakening Qing Dynasty.
Britain’s superior military technology and weapons gave the British a significant advantage in regulating Chinese trade. During the 1830’s, the British sought to compensate for the trade deficit, or situation in which a country imports more than it exports, with China by selling opium into the Chinese market. Britain reaped huge profits as the demand for opium increased, at the same time disrupting China’s economy. The Opium War, which was fought over restrictions to foreign trade, ensued as China attempted to cease the trade of opium with Britain. The outdated weapons and fighting tactics of the Chinese proved no match for British forces. The Maxim gun, repeating rifles, and steam-powered, ironclad gunboats rendered the Chinese army defenseless. Naval bombardment of China’s coastal and river ports further demolished the already powerless Chinese military. After China’s defeat in the Opium War, Britain forced China to sign the Treaty of Nanjing and a series of other unequal treaties, which opened Chinese ports to foreign trade and granted extraterritoriality to the British living in China, giving them the right to live under their own laws. Britain’s technologically advanced military benefited enormously from the strong British economy, which flourished during the Industrial Revolution.
At the height of Britain’s industrial growth, the British found themselves at a great economic advantage, allowing them to extend their empire all the way to China. The Industrial Revolution boosted Britain’s economy, at the same time creating high demands for raw materials such as rubber and petroleum for British factories, as well as the demand for more consumers, prompting overseas expansion. Britain’s abundant wealth and resources allowed them to make many innovations in their military, transportation, and communication methods. Technological advances included the invention of the machine gun, the telegraph, and the establishment of ports and railroads, giving Britain greater control over non-Western territories. British colonization of India directly contributed to the imperialism of China as well. Using their superior military power and economic advantage, Britain was able to seize control of India and grow opium on Indian lands. The British in turn traded the Indian-grown opium with the Chinese, tipping the balance of trade, or difference between how much a country imports and how much it exports, in their favor. British domination of Chinese trade enabled Britain, as well as other Western nations, to carve out spheres of influence, in which these foreign powers reserved special rights to trade, profits, and investment. The Chinese were helpless to prevent Western imperialism since much of China was in turmoil at the time.
The decline of the Qing Dynasty was another factor that enabled the British to dominate China. China suffered from a weak central government, overpopulation, floods, famine, and civil unrest, rendering them defenseless against the British onslaught. The corrupt Chinese government, more concerned for their own personal gain, failed to properly maintain irrigation systems, leading to flooding, the destruction of crops, and famine. The poverty-stricken peasants led a series of revolts, most notably the Taiping Rebellion, lasting from 1850-1864. Hong Xiuquan, the leader of this massive peasant uprising, believed that God had called on him to overthrow the Qing Dynasty and establish the Taiping, or Kingdom of Heaven, in its place. For the next fourteen years, the Taiping army gained control of Nanjing, the Yangtze Valley, Shanghai, and other major parts of China, nearly collapsing the Qing Dynasty. Eventually, Hong Xiuquan withdrew from the revolt, claiming that God had not wanted him to actively participate in the fighting, resulting in the disintegration of the Taiping army. With the help of regional forces loyal to the Qing government, the Taiping Rebellion was put down. The Taiping Rebellion severely weakened China at the time, resulting in nearly 30 million deaths and allowing further penetration of Western powers.
China and its trade were dominated by Britain in the mid 1800s due to numerous internal and external pressures. Britain’s superior military force sand flourishing economy, as well as the weakness and incompetence of the Qing Dynasty inevitably led to British imperialism of China. As the British increased their grip on Chinese trade, reformers recognized the need to adopt Western ways and implemented a self-strengthening movement. Although the movement had limited success, China eventually did modernize, expanding economically, improving their military, applying Western forms of government, and developing a sense of nationalism. Although British control of China was intended for Britain’s economic gain, the introduction of Western ways still benefited China greatly and gave rise to the Chinese republic.