THE OPIUM WARS: HOW MONOPOLY CAPITALISM AND OPIUM BUILT THE BRITISH EMPIRE The story of the Opium Wars is one of the clearest examples in world history of how monopoly capitalism, backed by military force, can devastate a people, distort economies, and expand empires. Britain did not simply trade freely with China; it weaponized addiction, imposed unequal treaties, and used gunboat diplomacy to enforce its economic interests. This history continues to shape China’s identity and foreign policy to