Discussion on Marcus Rediker's “Life Under the Jolly Roger”

Discussion
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Rediker states that piracy was “a way of life, voluntarily chosen, for the most part, by large numbers of men who directly challenged the harsh ways of maritime society” (p. 156). What was harsh about maritime society? Why did so many sailors voluntarily join the ranks of the pirates who captured their vessels?
Just like Rediker states, piracy was a way of life voluntarily chosen. This is because many men were challenged by the harsh ways of the maritime society. Sailors were not treated like other citizens. They were punished severely for their actions if they were given orders and disobeyed them. For example, they noted that men in jail had more room, ate better food, and had better company, unlike them. It is also important to note that they were paid low wages, and there were frauds and irregularities in how salaries were distributed. For those pirates who served in the feed, their food supplies ran short, mortality rates were high, and wages were low (Rediker,1988, p158). Altho...