郭嵩焘禁烟思想述论

Comment on Ban-opium Thought of Guo Songtao

郭嵩焘禁烟思想产生于他生活的时代和社会实践,并随着他身与中英交涉及乡居办教育等经历而不断深化的。国内朝野官绅的禁烟要求和英国一些正义之士的禁烟宣传是促其禁烟思想形成的重要内外因。郭氏认为,清政府应严禁鸦片,于内先禁鸦片种食,于外积极交涉洋药税厘并征;他力主中英联合禁止鸦片贸易;乡居期间主张禁烟馆以整顿人心风俗。郭氏的思想与现实存在着难以调和的矛盾,但对清廷禁烟政策及对英国对华鸦片贸易都有一定的影响,在近代禁烟史上也有重要的地位。

Guo's ban-opium thought was delivered from his alive times and social experience. It was developed and deepened in his envoying abroad and educational experience in Changsha as a gentry. The ban-opium requirement of the officials and gentries was an important internal cause, while the ban-opium propagonda of some justice Englishmen was an external cause. In Guo's opinion, the opium which had brought about great disaster to Chinese should be banned, the opium trade should be restricted and suppressed by the government Ch'ing with the cooperation of the Britian.The method should be to prohibit from planting and smoking in China, while the opium tax and likin should be held with negotiation of British. In general, his thought was in contradiction with the reality, but it had some influences on both Ch'ing Dynasty's ban-opium policy and the opium trade policy between two countries. It had played an important role in modern ban-opium movement.