Critical Analysis of Primary Sources Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Critical Analysis of Primary Sources - Essay Example The High Imperial Commissioner is almost envious of the fact that, England is always on the verge of development from its history to present. Major arguments of Zexu’s letter to the Queen of England However, the High Imperial Commissioner is not happy with the fact that, it is through trade that opium has penetrated to China, and affected a great percentage of its populace. In fact, Zexu (pp.3) complains that England is much more concerned with profits and not the harm that results from the sale of such harmful products. Worse still, the emperor did not stop at considering the woes by the Chancellor but was quick to brush him away. The High Imperial Commissioner of China complains that his country has dedicated a lot of energy to alienating use of opium in their country. In the letter to the Queen, Zexu (pp.4) complains that it is not fair that the country prohibits opium use in their country but is of interest to sell the same drug to other countries, China inclusive of them. The fact that England is well conversant with the harms of opium makes it extremely difficult for the Chancellor to comprehend. In his argument, it would be interpreted that the Chancellor would want England to reciprocate the efforts made by China to export useful goods to humankind. All the exports have been indicated to be of use to the country, unlike what England has been exporting. This, Zexu (pp.4), quotes to be inclusive of agricultural produce, Chinaware, amongst others. The fact that, England uses the imports from China to make as much as possible, results to the Chancellor’s need to ban their exports to England, as well as ban the markets for sale of Opium in the country. From an analysis of the major arguments portrayed by the Chancellor of China, it is valid to argue that that British government is out to manipulate other purposes of benefit to their own country in terms of acquisition of profits from ‘unfair’ commerce. Opium war is yet to undergo n umerous processes prior to complete abolition since it is only cultivated in suburbs that not only need to survive, but are not concerned with how much impact opium has on human life (Zexu, pp.5). The queen must take to her concern the ban on opium through complete uprooting these plants in all areas that are seen to flourish the business. Palmerston’s letter to the Chinese Ministers- Major arguments In his dispatch, British State Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Palmerston (pp.7) aims at responding to the China’s emperor complains on the pains inflicted on China by Britain. In the message, he aims at portraying the idea that the British government has already made a move to react on the case by sending a troop to apologize on behalf of the disturbing comments made by some of the British officials in the course of duty in the area. This move can arguably been indicated to improve the relations between China and Britain. This majored on the need by the British government t o maintain the good relationship that the two countries have enjoyed for a long period of time. The Chinese government had no issues on the Britons living in the country, but it dawned on the Chinese government that the Britons were taking advantage of the good will by the Chinese, through taking part in trade, and then shift the profits to its own country. With no treaty