S01E05 The Macartney Expedition

Chinese Revolutions: A History Podcast

The Macartney Expedition

On this episode, we talk about the Macartney Expedition, a diplomatic mission from Britain that reached China in 1793.

Last week I appeared on the Man Tools Podcast to talk about living in China and some thoughts about Chinese history. The guys behind the podcast, Eric Madrid and Trevor Lane, were great to talk to. Check them out! Exact link to the episode I was on: https://mantoolsmedia.com/chinese-revolutions-nathan-bennett-man-tools-147/

The Context for the Expedition

The substance of this episode comes from Imperial Twilight by Stephen Platt.

British trade with China had been expanding over the decades preceding this 1793 expedition. Expanding British industry and the usual East India Company trade carried on quite profitably. And they wanted more.

The Ambassador, George Macartney

George Macartney, in his career, literally saw the establishment of Britain as a worldwide empire. He served as a governor in the Caribbean, in India, and in South Africa. He was coming to China with a personal appreciation for how powerful Britain was.

But he was going to run smack into trouble with the Chinese imperial self-conception and their lack of peer-level diplomatic relations.

But come back next week...

We're not done with the Macartney Expedition in this episode. I'm going to have to come back to it next week in a special double feature to get in just how it went when the British got to Beijing to see the emperor.

And we have to talk about opium.

If You'd Like to Support the Podcast

1. Subscribe, share, leave a rating. THIS IS FREE!
2. Give once, give monthly at www.buymeacoffee.com/crpodcast
3. Subscribe to the substack newsletter at https://chineserevolutions.substack.com/

Also...

Please reach out at [e-mail] and let me know what you think!