The Treaty With China by Mark Twain ~ Full Audiobook [history]

The Treaty With China by Mark Twain audiobook.

Genre: history

First published in the New York Tribune on August 28, 1868, The Treaty With China, its Provisions Explained is Mark Twain at his most sharp-eyed and plainspoken, turning a dense diplomatic document into a lively, provocative listening experience. With the newly concluded U.S.-China treaty (often associated with diplomat Anson Burlingame) as his framework, Twain walks the listener article by article through what the agreement actually says, why each clause exists, and who stands to gain or lose. He translates legal phrasing into everyday language, then widens the lens to the realities of foreign power in China, the pressures of trade and extraterritorial privilege, and the long history of mistrust created by meddling outsiders. Back in the United States, he aims his wit at the politics of immigration and the cruelty and hypocrisy faced by Chinese residents, especially on the Pacific coast, while also addressing issues like religious liberty, consular protection, and the fight against coerced labor. Part civics lesson, part moral argument, Twain's commentary asks what a fair international relationship should look like when prejudice and profit are both on the table.

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Chapters (Approximate)

(00:00:00) Chapter 01

(00:23:59) Chapter 02

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