History The Opium Wars Questions
The Chinese intellectuals played a significant role in the Opium Wars by advocating for reforms and resisting foreign influence. They criticized the Qing government for its inability to address the opium problem and its failure to modernize China. Intellectuals such as Lin Zexu and Wei Yuan actively campaigned against opium and called for the expulsion of foreign traders. They also promoted the idea of self-strengthening and argued for the adoption of Western technology and knowledge to strengthen China's military and economic power. However, their efforts were largely overshadowed by the conservative elements within the Qing government, leading to China's defeat in the Opium Wars.