Concept

Opium monopoly in Bengal

The control of the opium grown in Bengal and Bihar by a single buyer, individuals or the government, and its sale for export.

2 links, 2 backed by primary records

Connections 2

East India Company Primary record 1
A member names the monopoly in the Commons in 1840; the Company's despatch of 1831 is read there by another member.

Proof 2 sources

War with China, adjourned debate (Hansard, House of Commons, 8 April 1840), UK Parliament (Historic Hansard), 8 Apr 1840. Primary record
the opium monopoly enjoyed by the East-India Company
They do not wish to increase but to lessen the use, or rather the abuse, of opium, by making the price, both at home and abroad, as high as possible, consistently with a regard to the state of the markets, so as not to be undersold by foreign powers
it was directly encouraged first by the East India Company, and then in Canton by the supercargoes
The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, vol. 9: Articles of Charge against Warren Hastings (1786) and the opening speech of 15-16 February 1788, Project Gutenberg. Primary record
the opium produced in Bengal and Bahar is a considerable and lucrative article in the export trade of those provinces; that the whole produce has been for many years monopolized either by individuals or by the government
in consideration of the hardship imposed on the native owners and cultivators of the lands, who were deprived of their natural right of dealing with many competitors, and compelled to sell the produce of their labor to a single monopolist

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