OPIUM AND FAKES

Written By:

David Trubridge

OPIUM AND FAKES.

In 1839 Commissioner Lin of the Qing dynasty in China wrote a remarkable letter to Queen Victoria in England, on behalf of his Emperor. To offset a trade imbalance that was going strongly against them the British had been openly selling vast quantities of Indian opium into China. The resultant widespread addiction was causing serious social problems in China. So Lin wrote this:

“During the commercial intercourse which has existed so long, among the numerous foreign merchants resorting hither, are wheat and tares, good and bad; and of these latter are some, who, by means of introducing opium by stealth, have seduced our Chinese people, and caused every province of the land to overflow with that poison. These then know merely to advantage themselves, they care not about injuring others! This is a principle which heaven’s Providence repugnates; and which mankind conjointly look upon with abhorrence!”

Lin did not blame his people’s induced craving, but the importers. Later he added more about these British traders:

“We yet positively assert that from their inordinate thirst after gain, they are perfectly careless about the injuries they inflict upon us! And such being the case, we should like to ask what has become of that conscience which heaven has implanted in the breasts of all men?”

Commissioner Lin ordering the destruction of opium forced on China by the British.

Today it seems the tables are turned: China is exporting untold mountains of stuff, much of which is worthless junk. I am sure that everyone has come across cheap, badly made copies of quality western goods that have been manufactured in China. I’ll give you an example: six years ago, through an agent, we purchased a package of machinery which included two pumps. The original German pumps are well made and with consistent servicing could last decades. But it turned out ours were fakes. Our servicer discovered that the manufacturer has made it impossible to buy or fit replacement parts. So now the pumps are worthless and after only six years we have to throw the whole lot into recycling.

This built in obsolescence is deviously intentional and I find it outrageous. It hurt us financially but that is not what is really bothering me: this is happening a million times over every day. How much of the earth’s irreplaceable resources were dug up for such ‘goods’? How much fossil fuel energy was burned, pumping carbon into the atmosphere, in their making and transport? How many ships and trucks were built and driven to move this stuff around the world? How many warehouses erected to house it? How many hours of people’s lives were wasted in this useless and pointless activity?

David Trubridge destroying fake copies of his lights, made in China.

What China is doing today is poisoning not just some people like the opium did, but the very planet on which we all depend for our sustenance. China has signed the Paris Climate Change Accord and, like all the other signatories, is bound to significantly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. It will not be enough to put up more windmills and drive electric cars — though those are of course vital — we all have to address this catastrophic deluge of consumer junk. It is totally unsustainable in every way if we are to get that carbon output down. We have to design and build the much fewer things we really need so that they last as long as possible. That requires a far greater element of responsibility than being currently shown in China.

So maybe it is time to remind the Chinese of that letter which so disingenuously began:

“It is only our high and mighty emperor, who alike supports and cherishes those of the Inner Land, and those from beyond the seas — who looks upon all mankind with equal benevolence — who, if a source of profit exists anywhere, diffuses it over the whole world — who, if the tree of evil takes root anywhere, plucks it up for the benefit of all nations — who, in a word, hath implanted in his breast that heart (by which beneficent nature herself) governs the heavens and the earth!”

It is time to say that cheap Chinese goods (often made from stolen designs) have seduced the world and are poisoning the earth; that the Chinese know merely to advantage themselves, they care not about injuring others, and ultimately their children; that this is a principle which heaven’s Providence repugnates; and which mankind conjointly look upon with abhorrence. I would like to respectfully ask of the great Chinese nation what has become of that conscience which heaven has implanted in the breasts of all men?

It is time to demand minimum environmental and fit-for-use standards of ALL manufacturing in order to control global warming.