Piracy in the early modern period was, in fact, a type of class-based struggle. Discuss.

By the early 18th century, the Atlantic World had provided nations with newfound wealth and power, with competition for the domination of transnational trade a priority for many. However, the Golden Age of Piracy denotes the period 1692  1750, whereby groups of seafarers captured many of these mercantile ships and plundered property from those travelling across the Trans- Atlantic shipping routes. This essay will argue in favour of the view that although various factors contributed to the emergence of piracy, the rejection of social hierarchy present both on-board and on land, and the potential of a political alternative is the primary cause of the surge in piracy during this Golden Age.

CLASS WARFARE (Social/ Political)

According to the Marxist ideology, the eruption of piracy was fundamentally the result of class warfare. Social inequalities paired with the craving for fre…(short extract)