Report: Explain what happened to China in the 19th Century that helped create the social and political environment for the Boxer Rebellion

By the 19th Century, there were five foreign powers influencing trade in China and their encroachment helped create the social and political environment for the Boxer Rebellion. Some of these included influx of Christianity missionaries, foreign railways, spheres of influence and control of the customs service, all of which helped to create political and social tension.

Firstly, after the First and Second Opium Wars in 1839 and 1857, the foreign powers legally established the Opium Trade in China. The trade thrived, but had devastating effects on the nation. After the second Opium War in 1857, ‘China was importing more than 6,500 tons of opium a year’. This was just the beginning of imperialist exploitation and humiliation that would eventually allow the Boxers to thrive.

Secondly, with the introduction of foreign powers, the rapid growth of both Christianity and railways helped create the social environment for the Boxer Rebellion.
These major foreign powers including Britain, Russia, Japan, Germany and France introduced Christianity to China. It was an alien religion’ and a number of Chinese became Christians. As the Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica commented “Christian missionary activities helped provoke the Boxers; Christian converts flouted traditional Chinese ceremonies and family relations; and missionaries pressured local officials to side with Christian converts-who were often from the lower classes of Chinese society-in local lawsuits and property disputes. By late 1899 the Boxers were openly attacking Chinese Christians and Western missionaries” So by opening China to Christianity and challenging the local and traditional beliefs this contributed to the social tension for the Boxer Rebellion to take place. The desire for trade in China also challenged the traditional b...