Historical drug trades: China vs. Cambodia

After learning about China's infamous opium trade, "Forest of Ecstasy" offered an additional example of severe drug trade, only this time ecstasy in Cambodia. Both of these events provoked significant economic, political and social issues within a population and internationally as well. Both of these drug cases caused prosperous economic advantages to outside powers, most commonly Europe. Due to the huge amounts of money associated with drug trade, the black market offered immense profits to whomever controlled the transactions (i.e. the sellers). England gained enormous profit from from exporting opium to China, while Vietnamese drug dealers made tons of money exporting drugs out of Cambodia. However, both instances caused conflict with their respective governments. As Chinese citizens became severely addicted to opium, nationwide production of goods plummeted, which caused tension with the government. The Cambodian drug trade affected national social affairs by destroying the valuable Cardamom rainforest. This brutal destruction of the rainforest to produce ecstasy caused conflict with the government, creating a "civil war against drugs."

Evidently, the Chinese and Cambodian drug trades changed international and national circumstances, addicting citizens and causing political and economic tumult. Both situations are also examples of outside influence - spheres of influence. Britain manipulated parts of China and virtually controlled the majority of its population, while Vietnamese drug dealers used Cambodian citizens for labor. This similarity suggests and supports the theory that economic drive leads to some kind of eventual "imperialism," minor or major.