This week Prof Alan Lester joins Phil to lift the lid on a little known - but certainly scandalous - slice of British imperial history - the Opium Wars. 

There’s much debate today about slavery and how much - or little - it contributed to the wealth of the great European empires. But much less is known about the role that Britain and other empires played in the hugely profitable opium trade, and the one-sided wars that were waged to stop Chinese emperors from banning it. It’s a fascinating tale of greed, opportunism and skulduggery in high places.

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