British Imperialism Of The Nineteenth Century

Throughout this essay the sociological imagination is used to analyse the historical, cultural and structural reasons for drug use and abuse. Within this parameter the sociological imagination is applied, using studies research conducted in the United Kingdom, Australia, Russia and the United States. The sociological imagination was defined by Charles Write Mills as a ‘quality of mind’. (Mills quoted by Germov, Poole 2007: 4 ) It is stimulated by an awareness to view the social world by looking at how one’s own personal problems and experiences form a relationship to the wider society. In Victorian society the majority of people believed there was no ‘drug problem.' (Berridge, 1999) The substances used in Britain at the time like opium

Prior to the 19th century imperialism of both Africa and Asia, revolutions and changes of territories led the Europeans to colonize these continents. The industrial revolution was a major impact to new imperialism. This revolution raised Europe’s economy and forced them to find new opportunities to sell the goods they have produced. Also, the change and loss of territories around the world meant a decline of power for Europe, and yet another reason to imperialize. The 19th century imperialism of Africa and Asia was caused by the industrial revolution because of goods, resources, and new markets in their countries. The industrial revolution also influenced imperialism based on the military and technological advances, such as the invention of

In the late 19th century, a desire for expansion and control swept through Europe. Today, we know this as the age of imperialism. Influential powers like Britain and France competed to gain more land and to spread their influence throughout the world. The purpose of imperialism was to gain political power by means of land and wealth. The more power an empire held, the more influence it had on worldly matters. With this power came racial tensions, and a strong sense of nationalism. Britain was the leading power in the race for imperialism, leading many of its citizens to believe that they were above those not of English origin. Growing powers meant new opportunities for the citizens of the growing imperialistic empire. Anna Leonowens, a British

With the late 19th century came a great change in the ideas of expansionism in the United States, but also a continuation of its ideals. The idea of imperialism, where the United States would extend its power around the globe, stood in contrast with the original Manifest Destiny ideal of the 1840s and 1850s when America was expanding west from ‘sea to shining sea.’ However, the inherent social and cultural sentiments were still present in the late 19th century expansionism, though the economic and political purposes had changed.

For better or worse, many societies of the modern world tolerate certain methods of self-intoxication. Despite the possibility of negative consequences, all the cultures of the world the consumption of substances like alcohol and tobacco are sanctioned under particular circumstances. All societies face the reality that significant proportions of mankind seek to the same time expressly criminalizing others. This irony is made more bizarre by the evidence that a myriad of rich cultural timelines can supply to demonstrate that there is reasonable historical precedence in existence to show the use of alternative forms of drugs being cultivated and utilized.(McKenna)

Introduction - Use of psychoactive substances for recreational purposes is not a radically new social issue. In fact, history tells us that almost every society had their own pharmacopeia of herbs, potions, and substances that not only contributed to healing, but also allowed the user to escape reality (Schules 1992, 4-5). However, it is the contemporary use of psychoactive drugs purchased through illicit or illegal channels and used by persons neither prescribed nor in quantities larger than necessary that defines modern drug abuse (Robins 2006). Prior to World War I, substances like morphine, heroin, and cocaine were available in the major American cities, particularly those with active international ports. For instance, when Chinese immigrants were first imported to work in the mines and railroads during the early 1800s, they brought opium to America. It was the leisure class, who began to experiment with this drug, and, as in Europe, many major U.S. cities had so-called opium dens. In addition, there were a substantial number of "society women" who ended up addicted because their doctor prescribed this drug to deal with female histrionics or to "cure" an excessive sexual appetite (Johnson 2002). Within major cities, this problem began to spill over into other groups: prostitutes, child laborers, orphans, and even men and women of lower social classes seeking to escape the harshness of their lives (Courtwright 2002, 3-19). Between the widespread use and general

Use of psychoactive substances for recreational purposes is not a radically new social issue. In fact, history tells us that almost every society had their own pharmacopeia of herbs, potions, and substances that not only contributed to healing, but also allowed the user to escape reality (Schules 1992, 4-5). However, it is the contemporary use of psychoactive drugs purchased through illicit or illegal channels and used by persons neither prescribed nor in quantities larger than necessary that defines modern drug abuse (Robins 2006). Prior to World War I, substances like morphine, heroin, and cocaine were available in the major American cities, particularly those with active international ports. For instance, when Chinese immigrants were first imported to work in the mines and railroads during the early 1800s, they brought opium to America. It was the leisure class, who began to experiment with this drug, and, as in Europe, many major U.S. cities had so-called opium dens. In addition, there were a substantial number of "society women" who ended up addicted because their doctor prescribed this drug to deal with female histrionics or to "cure" an excessive sexual appetite (Johnson 2002). Within major cities, this problem began to spill over into other groups: prostitutes, child laborers, orphans, and even men and women of lower social classes seeking to escape the harshness of their lives (Courtwright 2002, 3-19). Between the widespread use and general

Driven by their ambition of increasing commercial profit, protecting their interests in the region from other European competitors, and expanding economic influence in Asia, the Europeans played an irreplaceable role in the transformation of Asian countries in the era of 1700 to 1900. The Europeans transformed Asian empires that enforced “closed country” policy, which threatened the European commercial interests in Asia in the 19th century, to polities that were forced to open up ports to trade. The increasing commercial interactions between the Europeans and the Asians also triggered the transformation of the political and social structures of Asian countries, ending feudal dictatorships and influencing new polities to adopt western legal framework. Furthermore, European religion and other western cultural features were also introduced and later integrated into the eastern cultures. In the meantime, European empires expanded their commercial activities from coastal cities to the interior Asian lands, increasing their presence and domination from the 16th century colonial era to the period of imperialism in the 19th and 20th century. The extensive interaction in the era integrated the two sides of the world, fostering the communication and mutual development that shaped the world order in the 20th century.

The history of substance abuse is full of irony. The poppy, a beautiful flower, is the source of opium, a raw pain-killing substance regularly cultivated and harvested in the East, where it was widely used. Tragically, Europe and America imported the drug and adopted its unregulated use. Though legal, the opium dens of the early 19th century certainly oppressed the lives of the poor, taking what little money they had and offering a dangerous environment in which to dream drug induced dreams.

The New Imperialism Imperialism is the extension of sovereignty and control by a nation or society over another. The control that the imperialist can use can be political or economic. The control that the imperialist can use can also either be direct or indirect. The second expansion of the European powers beyond the continents borders can be best represented by the new imperialism of the late 19th century. The first expansion occurred after Columbus’ voyages to the Americas.

What is the New Imperialism and what were the cause and effects in the World Wars in order to understand what is the “New Imperialism”, we must first learn and define Imperialism: a policy or practice by which a country increases its power by gaining control over other areas of the world: the effect that a powerful country or group of countries has in changing or influencing the way people live in other, poorer countries. The New Imperialism takes on effects in the late 19th century this is when there is an interest or wanting to gain a imperial territory, Imperialism is also consider to be when there is a desire to control a trading routes and resources in a nation. A perfect example of the New Imperialism is called the "Scramble for Africa", this is when Europe tries to takes control over Africa. In the late 19th century Europe struggle to destabilize and to balance the power that they once had before Italy and Germany became unify.

When men of letters and officials smoked, opium was cultured and a status symbol, but when the lower classes began to lie down, opium became degrading and ultimately criminal. The story of opium is a perfect example of the political redefinition of consumption” (p.38). Newman (1995) also distinguishes the variation between these two classes, and shows how it affected their lives: “There remains, however, the impact of opium consumption on the economy of individual families. The evidence suggests that smokers who were not addicted could limit their consumption to what they could afford, while some of those who were addicted were wealthy enough to pay for their habit. There must, nevertheless, have been some smokers of modest means who ruined their families or fell into crime in order to satisfy their craving”

Opium and marijuana. If anyone decides to survey a public’s opinion about these products today, s/he would definitely get ambiguous results whether the products are deleterious or therapeutic. The reason for these unclear outcomes can potentially take its roots from colonial periods of China and British India. Particularly, an importance of social lives and implemented policies on Chinese opium and Indian marijuana during colonial periods could significantly effect on today’s perceptions about the products. Therefore, my research question is “what are the differences between social lives and internal policies of opium in China and marijuana in British India?” I am taking the idea of “social lives” from Yangwen Zheng’s article, where she cited

The confusion and perception of the public with regards to the consumption of drugs is not restricted to the opiates in the US. India has also had to deal with a drug menace because of the people’s perception of drugs. In India, the disharmony in the medical professional led the people to consumption of cocaine. Members of the high class once consumed cocaine for medical reasons. The habit was borne out of a need to relieve pain but soon engulfs the user and they get addicted. Respectable men would also consume cocaine under medical prescriptions to improve virile power. While people would perish as a result of cocaine consumption, especially in the early 1900s in Calcutta, little was known about the

The book 'From chocolate to morphine ' provides a brief history of the drugs, how drugs are harvested or manufactured, which kind of experiences they offer, their side effects and suggestions on how to deal with them. The authors maintain the approach of providing the facts about drugs while explaining the relevant terms. Each chapter deals with a specific drug category like stimulants or inhalants. Each section provides tips about drug use and a detailed list of further reading. The book also explores the political motivations that make some drugs illegal while others are considered legal. The authors do not hesitate to put forward their opinion on the war on drugs and the problems associated with it. The book also discusses the kinds of problems the policy creates and the persecution it perpetuates on certain classes of people.