Addicting the Dragon? Jardine, Matheson & Co in the China Opium Trade

Abstract

This chapter reassesses the negative reputation of the Scottish merchants William Jardine and James Matheson whose wealth arose from their involvement in the China opium trade. While both men were feted in the nineteenth century, opprobrium was directed towards them from the later twentieth century. Central to this perception is their portrayal as exploiters of the Chinese people through the nefarious effects of opium. This chapter contends, however, that such a view reflects the context of different times and attitudes and the reappraisal of Western relationships with China in the nineteenth century. Central to this chapter’s reassessment of Jardine and Matheson is a greater understanding of the role of opium in Chinese and British society, in particular its palliative effects.