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>> Westerners as sources of the Opium Wars and therefore as enemies The article is not wrong. Opium war, in the official narrative of recent Chinese history, i
by tanilama 9y ago
>> Westerners as sources of the Opium Wars and therefore as enemies
The article is not wrong. Opium war, in the official narrative of recent Chinese history, is phrased as "the start of a hundred years of humiliation of China". It is heavily focused event in middle school history class. It definitely still shapes China in a lot of way, like the strictest drug prohibition may be in the whole world.
In every day communication, it might not be significant, but it does have a greater effect on a subconscious level, serving as foundation for regular Chinese folk to perceive the relationship with West in general, which is centered with invasion, humiliation, lose of sovereignty and the shame of inferiority.
- cousin_it 9y agoNot sure you're disagreeing with the grandparent. A belief can be deeply held and a result of manipulation at the same time. Russia has similar grievances against the West that are promoted on TV, and people care strongly about them as a result. In the early 90s, when the injuries were fresh, the TV deemphasized them and fewer people cared. I've come to believe that when a government makes its citizens care about foreign policy, that's usually a distraction from domestic problems. In Russia's case it's corruption. Not sure about China.
- heavenlyblue 9y agoWell, but then you're forgetting the Texan rednecks and elderly in the UK; both of which can be quite racist, especially if taken at a scale.