Opium and Empire: The Lives and Careers of William Jardine and James Matheson by

Description: Opium and Empire by Richard J. Grace A close look at two controversial Scottish capitalists engaged in the opium trade. FORMAT Paperback LANGUAGE English CONDITION Brand New Publisher Description In 1832 William Jardine and James Matheson established what would become the greatest British trading company in East Asia in the nineteenth century. After the termination of the East India Companys monopoly in the tea trade, Jardine, Matheson & Companys aggressive marketing strategies concentrated on the export of teas and the import of opium, sold offshore to Chinese smugglers. Jardine and Matheson, recognized as giants on the scene at Macao, Canton, and Hong Kong, have often been depicted as one-dimensional villains whose opium commerce was ruthless and whose imperial drive was insatiable. In Opium and Empire, Richard Grace explores the depths of each man, their complicated and sometimes inconsistent internal workings, and their achievements and failures. He details their decades-long journeys between Britain and China, their business strategies and standards of conduct, and their inventiveness as "gentlemanly capitalists." The commodities they marketed also included cotton, rice, textile goods, and silks and they functioned as agents for clients in India, Britain, Singapore, and Australia.During the First Opium War Jardine was in London giving advice to Lord Palmerston, while Matheson was detained under house arrest at Canton in the spring of 1839, an incident which helped prompt the armed British response. Moving beyond the caricatures of earlier accounts, Opium and Empire tells the story of two Scotsmen whose lives reveal a great deal about the type of tough-minded men who expanded the global markets of Victorian Britain and played major roles in changing the course of modern history in East Asia. Author Biography Richard J. Grace is professor of history at Providence College. Review "Grace provides an intricately researched exposition of the complexities, rivalries, and corruption involved in Chinas tightly controlled trade with the barbarian west and how Jardine and Matheson were best at the game." Choice "A comprehensive and engaging chronicle." Wall Street Journal "A riotously entertaining book." John Sandoe [Books] Ltd. London Long Description In 1832 William Jardine and James Matheson established what would become the greatest British trading company in East Asia in the nineteenth century. After the termination of the East India Companys monopoly in the tea trade, Jardine, Matheson & Companys aggressive marketing strategies concentrated on the export of teas and the import of opium, sold offshore to Chinese smugglers. Jardine and Matheson, recognized as giants on the scene at Macao, Canton, and Hong Kong, have often been depicted as one-dimensional villains whose opium commerce was ruthless and whose imperial drive was insatiable. In Opium and Empire, Richard Grace explores the depths of each man, their complicated and sometimes inconsistent internal workings, and their achievements and failures. He details their decades-long journeys between Britain and China, their business strategies and standards of conduct, and their inventiveness as "gentlemanly capitalists." The commodities they marketed also included cotton, rice, textile goods, and silks and they functioned as agents for clients in India, Britain, Singapore, and Australia. During the First Opium War Jardine was in London giving advice to Lord Palmerston, while Matheson was detained under house arrest at Canton in the spring of 1839, an incident which helped prompt the armed British response. Moving beyond the caricatures of earlier accounts, Opium and Empire tells the story of two Scotsmen whose lives reveal a great deal about the type of tough-minded men who expanded the global markets of Victorian Britain and played major roles in changing the course of modern history in East Asia. Review Quote "Grace provides an intricately researched exposition of the complexities, rivalries, and corruption involved in Chinas tightly controlled trade with the barbarian west and how Jardine and Matheson were best at the game." Choice Details ISBN0773547266 Author Richard J. Grace Short Title OPIUM & EMPIRE Pages 472 Publisher McGill-Queens University Press Language English ISBN-10 0773547266 ISBN-13 9780773547261 Media Book Format Paperback Year 2016 Publication Date 2016-03-31 Subtitle The Lives and Careers of William Jardine and James Matheson UK Release Date 2016-03-31 Imprint McGill-Queens University Press Place of Publication Montreal Country of Publication Canada Illustrations 2 b&w photos, 2 maps DEWEY 382.0941 Audience Professional & Vocational We've got this At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it. With fast shipping, low prices, friendly service and well over a million items - you're bound to find what you want, at a price you'll love! TheNile_Item_ID:159504981;

Price: 52.81 AUD

Location: Melbourne

End Time: 2025-01-08T03:32:24.000Z

Shipping Cost: 13 AUD