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Jim C.
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Silver and Opium

- Antal E. Fekete - Gold University

Fekete, as an advocate of free trade and capitalism, makes an error of the highest order. He says, "China was forced to pay silver for her addiction to opium smoking that was artificially induced by the pusher: the British." China, in fact, was forced to do nothing. The word 'force' cannot be used lightly as it is that single charactistic that defines dictatorial societies.

Addictions are not the fault of governments or suppliers -- but of individual choices. And apparently the Chinese chose badly, as many do today in other areas of life wishing to escape either the reailty they find themselves in or the responsibility of self direction. Using Fekete's logic, one could argue that the Chinese population used opium because of the oppressive nature of Chinese society -- that, therefore, the Chinese government forced their people to escape from reality.

Fekete then says, "Chinese troops boarded British ships in international waters carrying opium to Chinese ports and destroyed their cargo..." So it was China that initiated force against the British, not the other way around -- and the British responded to the destruction of their property.

Fekete then makes the analogy between opium and the United States paper dollar: "The role of opium in the current dispute is played by paper." Valid? Not at all. But that Nixon destroyed the dollar with his actions in 1971 (rather the spending prior bringing that necessity about) is a fact and something to condemn.

Commented 4069 days ago

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Beginning of the headline :From the mid-17th century more than 9 billion Troy ounces or 290 thousand metric tons of silver was absorbed by China from European countries in exchange for Chinese goods. The British introduced opium along with tobacco as an export item to China... Read More

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