Drugging a Nation: The Story of China & the Opium Curse by Samuel Merwin (1908)

Drugging a Nation is a hard-hitting exposé on the devastating impact of opium in China, written by Samuel Merwin in 1908. This book documents how British imperialism, corrupt officials, and Western economic interests fueled China’s opium crisis, turning an ancient civilization into a nation of addicts.

Merwin presents firsthand accounts, investigative journalism, and in-depth reporting on how opium was systematically used as a tool of control, especially by the British through the East India Company, flooding China with the drug for profit. He details how opium dens, addiction, and widespread corruption crippled Chinese society, while Western powers justified their role under the guise of “free trade.”

The book also explores China’s struggle to fight back, including government efforts to suppress opium use, reform movements, and public resistance. It serves as both a historical record and a warning about the dangers of state-sponsored drug trade, making it a critical read for those studying the Opium Wars, colonialism, and economic warfare.

About the Author:
Samuel Merwin was an American journalist, novelist, and social reformer, known for his investigative works exposing corruption, exploitation, and social injustice. Born in Evanston, Illinois, Merwin gained recognition for his sharp political insights and fearless reporting during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

His most notable work, Drugging a Nation: The Story of China & the Opium Curse (1908), was the result of on-the-ground investigative journalism in China, where he documented the destructive effects of the British-led opium trade. His reporting exposed how Western imperial powers profited from addiction, leaving China weakened and dependent.

Beyond journalism, Merwin was also a prolific novelist, co-authoring several books with Henry Kitchell Webster before branching out on his own. His fiction often carried themes of political intrigue, economic corruption, and social struggle, reflecting his deep concern for justice and human rights.

Merwin’s work remains a critical resource for understanding the intersection of imperialism, drug trade, and economic warfare, shedding light on one of history’s most infamous state-sponsored narcotics operations.