How did the British learn how to grow tea? They stole tea plants and workers from China and used Chinese expertise in India to grow the tea.

That ended Chinese monopoly on tea and their economy collapsed. https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/08/tea-time/535590/

Before one of the greatest IP theft of all time, the British used to get their tea from China. The British government used to make 10% of its revenue from taxes on Chinese tea. The British people were addicted to the stuff. They’d spend 10% of their income on tea alone.

The British were heavily dependent on China for tea and silk but the Chinese never really bought anything from the British, cause the Chinese had everything they needed. This trade imbalance really bothered the British.

So what did the British do to offset this deficit? Became the world’s first Narco-state. Got the Chinese addicted to opium, when the Chinese ruler started cracking down on opium the British brought in terrorists, sorry their army and started a wars with China.

The British government run the most successful drug operation of all time. It was so successful they ended up owning Hong Kong for 156 years.

Hong Kong is built on opium.

Moral of the story, crime pays ladies and gentlemen. It pays if you’re white.

That cup of tea we enjoy every morning comes from bushes with very bloody roots.