Utopian Socialism

The utopian socialist thinkers did not use the term utopian to refer to their ideas. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels referred to all socialist ideas that were simply a vision and distant goal for society as utopian. Utopian socialists were likened to scientists who drew up elaborate designs and concepts for creating what socialists considered a more equal society. They were contrasted by scientific socialists, likened to engineers, who were defined as having an integrated conception of the goal, the means to produce it, and an understanding of the way that those means would inevitably be produced through examining social and economic phenomena.

Utopian socialists never actually used this name to describe themselves; the term "Utopian socialism" was introduced by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in The Communist Manifesto in 1848. The Communist Manifesto was first published in London, and put forth ideas of equality throughout the world.

New Lanark is an early example of real life Utopian Socialism, bringing many of Marx's ideas to life. Though living conditions were no better than elsewhere in England at the time, the city was able to maintain itself into the current day.

Syndicalism is a type of economic system proposed as a replacement for capitalism, which proposes that industries be organised into confederations or syndicates. It is a form of communism and economic corporatism that advocates interest aggregation of multiple non-competitive categorised units composed of specialists and representatives of workers in each respective field to negotiate and manage an economy. Syndicalism is an offshoot of Utopian Socialism that planned to organize industry into small groups of workers, such as 1920s Russia.

Friedrich Engels was a German social scientist, author, political theorist, philosopher, and father of Marxist theory, alongside Karl Marx. In 1845 he published The Condition of the Working Class in England, based on personal observations and research. In 1848 he co-authored The Communist Manifesto with Karl Marx, and later he supported Marx financially to do research and write Das Kapital. After Marx's death, Engels edited the second and third volumes. Additionally, Engels organized Marx's notes on the "Theories of Surplus Value" and this was later published as the "fourth volume" of Capital.

La Réunion was a socialist utopian community formed in 1855 by French, Belgian, and Swiss colonists near the forks of the Trinity River in Texas, USA. The Reunion Tower in downtown Dallas is about three miles east of the colony site. The founders of the community were inspired by the utopian thought of the French philosopher François Marie Charles Fourier. Followers of Fourier established 29 similar colonies in various parts of the United States during the 19th century.

http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/marx.html

http://books.google.com/books/about/The_Communist_Manifesto.html?id=lhczngEACAAJ

 Bell, Colin and Rose (1972) City Fathers: The Early History of Town Planning in Britain.

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Opium Wars

Opium Wars

Opium is the dried latex obtained from the opium poppy. Opium contains approximately 12% morphine, an alkaloid, which is frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade and for legal medicinal use in some countries.

The Opium Wars, also known as the Anglo-Chinese Wars, were the First Opium War from 1839 to 1842, and the Second Opium War from 1856 to 1860. These were the climax of disputes over trade and diplomatic relations between China under the Qing Dynastyand the British Empire. 

The Treaty of Nanking was signed on the 29th of August 1842 to mark the end of the First Opium War (1839–42) between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Qing Dynasty of China. It was the first of unequal treaties against the Chinese because Britain had no obligations in return.

This painting is titled Battle at Canton, then known as Guangzhou, depicts one of many fights in the more bloody Second Opium War, taking place from 1856-60.

A British Clipper ship which is used to transport illegal opium from India into China. These ships held dozens of chests-worth in opium and morphine, facilitating an expedient trade of these drugs.

In 1834 to accommodate the revocation of the East India Company's monopoly, the British sent Lord William John Napier to Macau. He tried to circumvent restrictive Canton Trade laws that forbade direct contact with Chinese officials by attempting to send a letter directly to the Viceroy of Canton. The Viceroy refused to accept it, and closed trade starting on 2 September of that year. Lord Napier had to return to Macau (where he died a few days later) and, unable to force the matter, the British agreed to resume trade under the old restrictions.

Following the Battle of Plassey in 1757, in which Britain annexed Bengal to its empire, the British East India Company pursued a monopoly on production and export of Indian opium. The monopoly began in earnest in 1773, as the British Governor-General of Bengal abolished the opium syndicate at Patna. For the next fifty years opium trade would be the key to the East India Company's hold on the subcontinent.

In the 18th century, Britain had a huge trade deficit with Qing Dynasty China and so in 1773, the Company created a British monopoly on opium buying in Bengal. As the opium trade was illegal in China, Company ships could not carry opium to China. So the opium produced in Bengal was sold in Calcutta on condition that it be sent to China.

Xianfeng was the ninth Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, and the seventh Qing emperor to rule over China, from 1850 to 1861. During his reign, the decision of legalizing opium was made, ultimately to keep the drug illegal.

Queen Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 1837 until her death. She also used the additional title of Empress of India, and was presiding over the UK during the time that the East Indian Company was at full throttle.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/heroin/etc/history.html

http://www.victorianweb.org/history/empire/opiumwars/opiumwars1.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Nanjing

http://library.thinkquest.org/07aug/01291/Ritvik5.html

 Victoria's Wars: The Rise of Empire. London: Penguin Books. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium_Wars#Second_Opium_War_.281856.E2.80.931860.29

Campbell, John; Watts, William (1760). "Memoirs of the Revolution in Bengal, Anno Domini 1757".

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Arabian, Polynesian, and European Ship Technologies

This ship, known as a Dhow, is an ages old Arabian commerce ship. Thousands are still at port in the Arabic world and used in similar fashions. This helped the Islamic world take over trade before many others.

This map shows the routes which Dhow ships made possible, as well as routes that Zheng He took on his voyages. Chinese ships in this fleet numbering in the hundreds were massive and sturdy. 

To demonstrate the enormity of the ships, notice the size of Zheng He's ship in comparison with the Mayflower. Each ship was equipped with diplomats, scholars, soldiers, and all the other necessary parts of a sea-fairing vessel.

Here we see the Mayflower on it's own, looking much more magnificent without a looming leviathan. The most common ships in Europe, however, were quite unlike the three most famous of them. The Mayflower was the Zheng He of Europe.

This is a cog. The lamest of all ships in the world. Able to transport some basic supplies, these ships are why Europe had a late entrance onto oceanic trade. It was not until after the dismantlement of Zheng He's fleet that any European fleet could somewhat match them, being the Spanish Armada. 

Another example of nautical voyages, we see the area that the Spanish had under their watery thumb. Although it did not last, it was the greatest pre-industrial military fleet. When it comes to area covered, the Spanish aren't top dog, neither are the Chinese.

The greatest feat of human expansion until reaching the moon is represented in Polynesia, showing the creative problem solving of insane colonization. It is postulated that these island hoppers may have even landed in the Central American region, but unlikely.

These canoes, used by polynesians, were the greatest maritime vessel until Zheng He's cruisers patrolled the Indian Ocean. These canoes were more practical, however, and helped the Polynesians travel further and further with each island.

The Spanish Armada is the first attempt post-He to be the largest fleet. The pod of ships was the force behind all Spanish occupation and colonization until the 1550s. Until the British Fleet came into existence.

The ultimate ship technology of humanity is Noah's Ark, the plans sent to him through divination. This great man has saved the world, and we are eternally grateful.

God bless you, Noah.

                      

http://www.photosbymartin.com/images/pcd0366/dhow-sunset-65.3.jpg
Briggs, Philip. "Dhows of the swahili coast". Zanzibar Travel Guide
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