Opium and Empire : Chinese Society in Colonial Singapore, 1800-1910

Breaking new ground in the historiography of the overseas Chinese and British colonialism, this book focuses on two areas largely ignored by students of the period—opium and the economic role of the group of institutions known as kongsi , or secret societies. Contents Illustrations Acknowledgments Abbreviations Introduction 1. The Kongsi and the History of the Singapore Chinese 2. Conflict and the Kongsis of Southeast Asia 3. Opium and the Singapore Economy 4. Economic Struggle and the Singapore Kongsis 5. The Rise of the Great Opium Syndicate 6. The Collapse of Singapore's Great Syndicate 7. The Demise of the Farming System 8. Opium and the Political Economy of Colonial Singapore Glossary Bibliography Index