Colonisation and Drug Trade

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Table of Contents

Abstract
Introduction
Role of the Colonial Powers in Aiding Drug Trade
The Opium Wars
Afghanistan and the Opium Drug Trade
Tobacco and American Colonisation
Colonial Labourers
Cocaine Trade
Conclusion
References

Abstract

The global drug trade is worth billions of dollars. Colonialism has had a huge role to play in the growth of this trade. Consequently, this paper traces the influence of colonialism in the emergence and growth of the drug trade.

Comprehensively, this paper shows that the influence of colonialism on drug trade centres on the opium wars, expansion of drug markets, and the role of colonial wars in liberalising the trade. Further evidence shows the emergence of international drug trafficking cartels from the colonial era and the growth of the drug market through drug abuse by colonial labourers.

Introduction

The emergence and growth of the drug trade stems from the willingness of drug addicts to pay for drugs at any cost. Indeed, Shmoop University (2010) affirms that drug addicts are very good customers because they are not motivated by reason but rather, by a need to fulfil their addictive desires.

Consequently, drugs are among the most lucrative products in the global market because drug cartels and drug companies make handsome profits from the sale of legal and illegal drug types (Rexton, 2009, p. 7). Profits realised from the sale of drugs even rival some of the world’s most lucrative legal trades such as the sale of coffee, corn, or even gold.

Currently, the sale of petroleum and coffee (in the same order of dominance) dominate the biggest global markets. Even though the drug business trails these products (in terms of market size), undoubtedly, drugs are more precious today than most products around the world.

Shmoop University (2010) even says, some drugs (like cocaine) are more precious than gold because a gram of Cocaine may cost $100 while a gram of gold may cost $25. Other drugs such as marijuana have a very high value in certain parts of the world such as the US where Shmoop University (2010) considers it the most valuable cash crop. Marijuana growers in the US rake in about $36 billion annually.

Most of these sales link to illegal marijuana sales. Corn is the second most valuable cash crop in the US and it is worth only $23 billion (Shmoop University, 2010, p. 1). From these statistics, there is little evidence to contradict the belief that the trade is among the most lucrative business in the world. Even though it remains destructive to human life, the drug trade will not end.

One question many people ask is how this trade started and became so profound in the global market today. Since some of the most notorious drug cartels emerged from the colonial era, there is a strong indication that colonialism has a huge role to play in the emergence and sustenance of the drug trade. This paper explores the influence of colonialism and the dominance of colonial powers in supporting the drug trade.

Role of the Colonial Powers in Aiding Drug Trade

The emergence of colonial powers in the 15^th century heralds the birth of colonisation and the dominance of European powers around the world. However, colonisation is not the only product realised from the emergence of colonial powers; the emergence and growth of the drug trade is also a conspicuous product of colonisation (Rexton, 2009, p. 7).

Before colonisation, there was little distribution of drugs beyond western nations; however, the growth of the drug trade filled the voids of this trade. This happened mainly through wars and conflicts such as the opium wars.

The Opium Wars

By far, the opium wars are among the most notable atrocities committed by the British. This war traces its origins to the 19^th century when Britain fought with China over the sale and distribution of Opium and heroin (Compilation Group, 2000, p. 1). At the time, Britain had a strong monopoly over the supply of both drugs.

Britain’s control over the supply of both commodities culminated through the control of the drug production process by British trading houses and banks. Most banks involved in this trade engaged in the laundering of drug money, while the trading houses dealt directly with the control of the trade (regulation).

The dominance of Britain over the supply and distribution of Opium stemmed from its influence and control of the Indian peninsula, including the biggest Opium producer known today as Afghanistan (Annu, 2009).

When the Chinese empire banned the sale of Opium within its borders, the British felt greatly threatened because they were already involved in the trade of tea in silver with the Chinese empire. The British perceived the trade of tea as a big threat to its future sustenance because the Chinese only accepted silver in exchange for tea (Annu, 2009). Britain was paying a lot of silver to the Chinese who did not do much with it.

Therefore, the trade between the Chinese and the British counteracted through a new trading paradigm where the British could get their silver back. The opium trade was a perfect opportunity for the British to do so. Before the opium war, the Chinese consumed only small proportions of the drug.

Somewhat, the consumption of opium was considered to have a religious significance to some Chinese communities. However, Compilation Group (2000) explains that broadly, the Chinese did not know much about opium. The opium war however changed this situation.

The British waged an all-out-war on the Chinese empire where millions of Chinese people died. Chouvy (2010) explains that the Chinese empire was no match for the world’s most powerful country (Britain) and therefore, the Chinese had to concede defeat in an embarrassing way. This defeat led to the enslavement and colonisation of the Chinese empire (plus the exertion of British dominance in the once flourishing empire).

Through this dominance, China became the biggest drug zone on earth because the British exploited their newly found dominance to encourage the trade of Opium (Compilation Group, 2000). The unrestricted access, distribution, and sale of opium to the Chinese people (with little regard for their social or economic well-being) simplified this trade.

Chouvy (2010) says that wealthy Chinese people could afford the drug but poor Chinese people could spend up to two-thirds of their earnings on this drug. Therefore, most Chinese families became neglected, broken, and abandoned because of the trade.

Even though the British claimed they were trying to protect the sovereignty of the Chinese to use Opium as a religious practice, Polachek (1992) says the motivation of the British to engage in the war was far more than protecting the religious rights and freedoms of the Chinese. Consequently, the British conveniently established their trade imbalance with China and recovered their silver from the tea trade.

The Chinese population was distraught from the consumption of Opium (it was not until Mao Zedong won back the sovereignty of the Chinese people did they understand the meaning of sobriety). Comprehensively, through the opium war, the British supported drug trade.

Afghanistan and the Opium Drug Trade

In many debates regarding the war on terror, people see terrorism as a product of the drug trade. Indeed, the link between Afghanistan and the drug trade is because Afghanistan enjoys a strong monopoly in the production of Opium around the world. In fact, it is estimated that close to 95% of the world’s opium comes from Afghanistan (Annu, 2009).

The equivalent of this output is 3,500 tonnes of the annual drug shipment out of Afghanistan. United Nations (U.N) says that the opium market in Afghanistan is worth $65 billion every year (about 15 million opium users depend on this market) (Annu, 2009). When the Afghan government had a strong control on legal opium production, illegal opium production had a very severe penalty (death or the loss of a limb).

This period was especially characterised by the control of opium production by the Taliban regime. According to Annu (2009), the decline of opium production affected western world powers. Through the influence of the Taliban on the opium drug trade, Annu (2009) says, American and British forces invaded Afghanistan on the pretext of the war against terror to safeguard western interests in the opium trade.

To further cement accusations that Western powers had a huge role in protecting their interest on the opium trade, Annu (2009) says, American and British forces invaded Afghanistan on the pretext of the war against terror.

Within the western sphere of influence, it was completely unacceptable for a country that did not have any army (navy or air force) to impede the flourishing drug trade that formed the bedrock of western civilization (Annu, 2009). In fact, the above ideas informed the argument of the western world to seek the support of the U.N in invading Afghanistan.

The west got its way because the U.N practically gave the west an unregulated mandate to invade Afghanistan. Western-allied forces therefore forged a war against Afghanistan and attacked many defenceless citizens. After the war, the Taliban control over the opium trade ended and the production of the drug recovered.

Today, Britain and America account for the biggest markets for heroin and opium. Their consumption increased with the demand of the drugs from other European countries. Consequently, the biggest drug traders and beneficiaries come from the US and Britain.

In fact, Annu (2009) says that these traders are among the most powerful and influential people today. Some of them trace their dominance to the opium wars of the 15^th century. Others trace their notorious heritage to drug trafficking cartels that ruled in the early 20^th century.

Pundits accuse the U.S CIA of being at the helm of this drug trade as demonstrated by the Iran-gate Contra scandal where critics accused the CIA of protecting the drug trade to further selective political activities (Annu, 2009).

This accusation also spread to the British M 15 and M 16, which links to the drug business (Annu, 2009). Proceeds accrued from the drug trade (by the CIA and other security organs) fund illegal political and business ventures (Annu, 2009). Some of these illegal activities include organising assassinations, coups, and similar activities.

Tobacco and American Colonisation

The colonisation of America further led to the emergence and spread of the drug trade within Europe and the rest of the world. Shmoop University (2010) says Virginia and New England mainly depended on the drug trade because their economies were quickly collapsing after other economic ventures failed.

After the first tobacco grower in Virginia (John Rolfe) made handsome profits from the sale of tobacco to Europe, other farmers around the state quickly embarked in farming the product. In fact, Shmoop University (2010) says tobacco occupied every empty space in Virginia. Virginia’s tobacco production peaked to 20,000 tonnes annually.

In 1619, colonialists started using tobacco as a currency to buy women because women offered a natural way to sustain Virginia’s natural production. About 120 pounds of tobacco bought a woman. The introduction of slavery heralded the onset of women trade and tobacco became a currency to pay for the slaves.

The introduction of the slave trade led to the expansion of the tobacco industry because slaves worked on tobacco plantations. Concerning the rapid expansion of the tobacco produce, Shmoop University (2010) says the slave trade helped expand the drug trade.

The rapidly expanding tobacco trade also complemented the growth of the opium trade because the consumption of tobacco complemented opium consumption. Furthermore, the colonisation of America supported the drug trade because the colonial powers provided a ready market for American drugs in some of their major colonies (including China).

Colonial Labourers

The link between colonialism and cocaine trade stems from the labour practices implemented by colonial powers. Throughout the colonial period, there was a thriving slave trade where traders sold labourers throughout the world to work in cotton fields, sugar plantations and other agricultural industries (Jankowiak, 2003). The human conditions that the slaves experienced were demeaning and inhuman.

These conditions posed a threat to the colonialists because it demoralized their workers. A demoralized work force was also disastrous to the colonial powers because it would decrease their industrial output.

To correct this imbalance, the colonial powers introduced several drugs to motivate slaves to work harder. These drugs ranged from marijuana, opium, to cocaine. The drugs provided psychological relief for the slaves. The productivity of labour increased in this regard and colonial powers benefitted from improved productivity (Jankowiak, 2003).

The manipulation of colonial labourers to join the ever-expanding group of drug users was not a secretive affair. The use of drugs was an effective strategy employed by colonialists to keep the expanding workforce captivated and rewarded for their hard work.

Once this tool gained acceptance among colonial powers, the labourers started influencing one another to engage in drug consumption. For example, Jankowiak (2003) says, Caribbean labourers influenced Indian labourers to consume rum instead of marijuana (for optimum satisfaction).

Jankowiak (2003) says the involvement of colonial labourers in the drug trade was unavoidable because the pain of working hard on the fields and the psychological torture of separating from their families were bound to have a strong psychological effect on the labourers. Often, these labourers worked in the new colonial territories and lived in appalling conditions, which were characterised by poverty, disease, and death.

Drugs therefore helped the labourers to blot out or deflate this psychological pain and accustom themselves to psychological pain. Their physical pain was also suppressed in the same regard because the labourers were able to work longer and harder (Jankowiak, 2003).

Cocaine Trade

The ability of colonial powers to control international drug trade increased their dominance in the world. This dominance was especially conspicuous since most of the major cocaine producing territories such as Columbia and Peru were under European colonisation.

After the establishment of the cocaine trade, predominant international drug trafficking cartels that controlled the opium trade also started to get a strong hold of the cocaine trade. However, in the early eighties and late nineties, this control fizzled out to local criminal cartels.

There is however a close relationship between drug cartels in cocaine producing countries and international drug traffickers. For example, the notorious Columbian cocaine drug lord, Pablo Escobar, had a strong link with international drug trafficking cartels (Gootenberg, 2008).

South America has the highest incidences of drug crime. Marcy (2010) says the most worrying issue about the cocaine drug trade is the sophistication of drug cartels and their penetration of government institutions and agencies. The penetration of drug interest in British and American intelligence manifests in this study.

These government institutions enjoy a very high security clearance, which has given them the power to influence drug trade. The involvement of the CIA on the use of drug money to finance political interest is one example. However, the involvement of western powers in the drug trade does not match the influence of drug traffickers in the governments of some drug producing nations.

For example, the influence of drug cartels in the Mexican, Columbian and the Afghan government is very high. Comprehensively, dominant drug cartels from the colonial era still engage in the sale and distribution of cocaine and other illicit drugs around the world.

Conclusion

The global drug trade is worth billions of dollars. Colonialism has had a huge role to play in the growth of this trade. This paper demonstrates the influence of colonialism on the emergence and growth of the drug trade through the opium wars, expansion of drug markets, and the role of colonial wars in liberalising the trade.

Further evidence shows the emergence of international drug trafficking cartels from the colonial era and the growth of the drug market through drug abuse by colonial labourers.

From the evidence provided in this paper, drug trade played a pivotal role in the economic expansion of colonial powers. The introduction of European drug trade to new colonial territories either significantly transformed local drugs or completely replaced them. The role of colonialism in increasing the growth of trade manifests through its influence on increasing trade and the intensification of labour productivity.

The link between trade and drugs occurs through the increased dependency of new colonies to their colonial powers for drugs. This was especially vivid through the opium wars where China was heavily dependent on Britain for the supply of opium. Britain controlled most of the opium supply.

In addition, the colonial powers used drugs to increase the intensity of labour by providing drugs to slaves and other labourers so that they were relieved from the burden of intense labour and psychological torture.

Comprehensively, from the role of the opium war in increasing colonial domination of the drug trade, the link between war and the flourish of drug trade manifests (Kan, 2009). The opium war strongly compares with the ongoing drug wars in Latin America because these wars offer the instability needed for the growth of drug trade.

References

Annu, O. (2009). What is the American Army Doing in Afghanistan? Web.

Chouvy, P.A. (2010). Opium: Uncovering the politics of the poppy. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Compilation Group. (2000). The Opium War. New York: The Minerva Group, Inc.

Gootenberg, P. (2008). Andean cocaine: The making of a global drug. Chapel Hill, NC: The University of North Carolina Press.

Jankowiak, W. (2003). Drugs, Labor, and Colonial Expansion. Arizona: University of Arizona Press.

Kan, P. (2009). Drugs And Contemporary. London: Warfare Potomac Books, Inc.

Marcy, W.L. (2010). The politics of cocaine: How U.S. foreign policy has created a thriving drug industry in central and South America. Chicago: Lawrence Hill Books.

Polachek, J. (1992). The Inner Opium War. Massachusetts: Harvard University.

Rexton, P. (2009). Drugs and Contemporary Warfare. New York: Potomac Books, Inc.

Shmoop University. (2010). Economy in History of Drugs in America. Web.

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