I know china doesn’t need them (and probably doesn’t necessarily want them either) but I was reading on western imperialism in china (not that I was ignorant of the concept before) and I dont think I ever conceptualized how much wealth the west got from china without ever paying a cent back. The forced loans in “war reparations” alone is probably in the millions

This is more a thought experiment than a genuine like, policy proposal or anything

  • Commiejones@lemmygrad.ml
    17·
    4 days ago

    Silver outflows from China to britain in 1800-1900 were over a billion silver dollars. This was exacted in war “reparations” and the opium trade which was forced on them.

    In the 250 years before 1800 China took in around a billion silver dollars from European traders in exchange for goods.

    So europe took a billion silver dollars worth of trade goods from China over 250 years. Then over the next 100 years Britain took all that money along with any trade goods. Essentially making all of china slaves for 350 years.

    In 1800 china’s populaiton was almost 300 million and britain was 11 million. So back of the envelope math says that Britain owes China 10,000 years of slavery. (i’ve never though about it like that but its fucking crazy)