In the long river of Chinese history, a scene in the middle of the 19th century is like a magnificent historical picture, and one of the most intense colors is the flood of opium. Opium, once a luxury in the hands of the aristocracy, has now permeated every corner of society and become a devastating disaster. Empress Dowager Cixi, the majestic ruler, made an unprecedented decision to tax opium. Is this move aimed at filling the fiscal deficit in the national treasury, or does it imply deeper considerations?
Opium, a mysterious item originating from far South Asia, was once whispered only in the homes of the wealthy. With the end of the First Opium War, the status and influence of opium changed dramatically. In order to solve the problem of ** deficit, Britain began to dump opium into China in a planned and organized manner, which led to the popularization of opium in China. The sharp decline in opium made it no longer the exclusive preserve of the aristocracy, but a commodity that ordinary people could afford.
So, in this context, the Qing ** led by the Empress Dowager Cixi made a decision to tax opium.
What is the logic behind this decision? On the one hand, taxation can increase the revenue of the national treasury and compensate for the financial difficulties caused by the war, which is an obvious benefit. More importantly, the taxation of ZC indirectly acquiesced in the existence of opium**, which turned opium from an underground smuggled commodity into a commodity with a certain legitimacy. This not only increased the circulation of opium in society, but also made opium smoking more public.
Smoke houses have sprung up like mushrooms, and people of all stripes can openly enjoy the pleasure of opium there.
This is followed by social instability and the growth of many problems. Families were torn apart by opium, and many male owners became addicted to opium, leaving family life in trouble. At the same time, the opium epidemic also led to a decline in social productivity, and agricultural and handicraft production declined sharply, further exacerbating the gap between the rich and the poor in society. The opium epidemic has also triggered various criminal activities, which have brought a great threat to social security.
More worryingly, with the widespread popularity of opium in China, opium cultivation began on a large scale in some areas, making China a producer of opium. This has not only further exacerbated the problem of the opium epidemic, but also exposed China to international criticism and pressure.
Faced with this dilemma, the Qing Dynasty tried to control the production and sale of opium through various measures, but with little effect. The opium problem has become a thorny and complex social problem, which requires the joint efforts of the whole society to solve it.
As contemporary people, how should we view the opium epidemic? Should we learn from history and be vigilant against the harm caused to society by the spread of drugs? Feel free to leave a message to share your thoughts!
(Chongyang Literature and History |.)Disclaimer: The content of this article and **are** on the Internet, which are intended to spread positive information and are not vulgar or undesirable. If there is any infringement problem, please contact us and we will remove the content quickly! If there is any inaccurate information, please let us know and we will correct it as soon as possible. ）