Historical Impact Of Opium Trade

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"Presently she cast a drug into the wine of which they drank to lull all pain and anger and bring forgetfulness of every sorrow."
The Odyssey, Homer
(Ninth century B.C.)

As a commodity, opium has created a definite impact on globalization; by exploring the history of this addictive commodity one can find clear connections amid the trade of opium and interdependence and interconnectedness amongst nations in every corner of the world. Taking into account it's destructive nature, it can be argued that through it's addictiveness, the commodity globalized it self, leaving several negative ramifications in it's wake. Investigating the historical aspect of opium trade and policies in Southeast Asia, focusing on China, India and the East Indian Company's involvement in the trade, the essay will aim to explain how factors such as internal and external conflicts, insecurity, underdevelopment and conflicts in different nations has developed the current trade, at the same time comparing 17th - 19th century health and social concerns to social and political drug related issues existing on a global scale today. Through analysis of different texts the consequences and outcomes distribution and utilization of opiates suffered by the international community as a whole will be explored, focusing mainly on production countries and the political consequences in Afghanistan and Mayanmar/Burma, in addition to the impacts trade and usage of the commodity has had on European social issues.

Opium was first used mainly for medical purposes before the 17th century, the transition from a recreational drug was marked by the change from swallowing the compound raw, to mixing it with tobacco and smoking it (Chang 1964). Although the morphine component...

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...9)7-9). In contrast the current issues and economics of the global trade can be said to be of greater magnitude, as opium has spread and through it's addictiveness it has interconnected and created dependence between it's users, producers and dealers. The product continuously being commercialized and designed for different users preferences, as well as interdependence through addiction defines the mark opium as a commodity put on globalization. One can se traces of the effects of opium in almost every corner of the world, it is clear that the interconnected commodity chain moves through history and across the world. In conclusion of this paper, opium's globalization has been made clear by discussing and comparing political and social, historical and current affairs, showing interconnectedness and interdependence around the globe through it's market and production.

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