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  • Crusaders against Opium: Protestant Missionaries in China, 1874–1917
  • Carl E. Taylor
Kathleen L. Lodwick. Crusaders against Opium: Protestant Missionaries in China, 1874–1917. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1996. xi + 218 pp. Ill. $29.95.

This book presents information on a theme that has current relevance for at least two reasons: (1) It describes one of the earliest systematic national drug control efforts, and this experience may contribute insights to help in the present paralysis of U.S. control of opium products. (2) With relations between China and the United States continuing to be sensitive and uncertain, it is especially important for Americans to understand feelings about past patterns of international oppression, and also to realize that we are involved in a present opium war with a national trade policy that promotes cigarettes as blatantly as the British did opium a century and a half ago.

Foreign imposition of the opium trade produced addiction among millions of Chinese, while governmental control efforts were thwarted by the British Opium Wars. The social costs were apparent, but the trade was justified in Britain by Social Darwinist reasoning that the Chinese were inferior people as shown by their addiction to opium. It was Protestant medical missionaries who mobilized international awareness of the massive impact of addiction on individuals, families, and society: they did the first comprehensive studies documenting the health ravages and led the formation of associations and conferences to publicize the message that “the opium traffic is doing more evil in China in a week than Missions are doing good in a year” (p. 50). Finally, in 1906 a change in leadership in the British Parliament led to an agreement that Britain would stop importing opium from India if the Chinese first stopped producing opium in all parts of China. Much to the surprise of everyone, one of the great achievements of the weak Ching dynasty was that in the next few years they were able to ruthlessly suppress poppy growing. Success was so evident that in 1912 imports were stopped. It is apparent that today governments such as the United States are not [End Page 719] able to mobilize equivalent courage to control drug trafficking as private channels respond to growing demand. The demand in China fell off rapidly when provision was made for opium to be permitted for certified addicts but no new certificates to use opium were issued. The international mobilization to cut off supply had to be combined with the systematic reduction of demand. It was the missionary movement that fostered the public perception that business interests had to be controlled for the social good.

The second reason this book is timely is because of present tendencies for old stereotypes to dominate the relations between the United States and China. In the delicate process of promoting mutual understanding it is especially necessary to be aware of Chinese sensitivity to foreign domination. Tobacco is as addictive as opium, even though its health impact is delayed rather than rapid. U.S. trade policy has used economic pressure in Asia as effectively as the British used military pressure. The same argument is being used today that was used a century ago: if a country has a domestic market to produce cigarettes, they must permit foreign imports or face severe trade sanctions. Modern advertising dramatically increases tobacco addiction by targeting women and children in ways that would not be permitted in the United States. It is time to relearn the lessons described in this book. The United States is imposing tobacco on poor countries at the same time that we accuse other countries of producing addictive drugs for the U.S. market. A current difference is that the massive advertising invasion by our tobacco companies seems more effective than the British campaign using troops and gunboats in their Opium War.

The book is solidly documented and well written.

Carl E. Taylor
Johns Hopkins University
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