According to the information provided, it can be inferred that the opium trade is associated with the transition from mercantilist trade to capitalist free trade (option b)
Opium is a term to refer to a mixture of substances extracted from the silver poppy. Opium is known to contain narcotic and analgesic components such as morphine.
The opium trade made an impact in history because Great Britain bought tea from China in exchange for products produced in its colonies. Once the colonies become independent, the British are left with no products to offer China in exchange for tea.
Due to the above, they see opium as an ideal product to stabilize the economy again and strengthen itself. So, they began to create opium crops in the region of India that was under their control and later sold them illegally in China.
This process contributed to the transition between mercantilism and capitalism because it strengthened the naval and economic industry of Great Britain and it managed to launch the industrialization of textile companies.
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