Nevertheless, my friend did have a point.
If you read enough history, you quickly realize that the English Aristocracy were/are some vicious bastards. They also tend to be successful as a result.
The decisions made by the British aristocracy led directly to sub-replacement birth rates and disastrous wars which have resulted in the socialism and ascending Mohammedanism we see there today. Lin Zexu was correct in predicting that they would not escape the punishment of heaven.