E103: Pirates, part 1

Working Class History

First in a double podcast about the Golden Age of Piracy, with historian Marcus Rediker. The legendary pirates of this era weren’t just thieves—they were daring rebels challenging the very systems of power and authority of their time. Fighting every colonial empire, and creating their own ways of living free from authority, pirates became symbols of liberty and resistance to working-class and poor people everywhere.
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Part 1 covers the historical and economic background, the different eras of piracy in the golden age, about life at sea, how people became pirates.
Our patreon supporters can listen to part 2 now early, covering the extent of piracy, how pirates organise themselves, how colonial powers fought them, the decline of pirates, and their legacy today: available here for early listening for our patreon supporters.
More information, and eventually a transcript on the webpage for this episode here: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e103-pirates/
Get Marcus's Books:

• Marcus Rediker, Villains of All Nations: Atlantic Pirates in the Golden Age
• Marcus Rediker and David Lester, Under the Banner of King Death: Pirates of the Atlantic, a Graphic Novel

Acknowledgements

• Thanks to our Patreon supporters for making this podcast possible. Special thanks to Jazz Hands, Jamison D. Saltsman, Fernando López Ojeda, Nick Williams and Old Norm.
• Written by Audrey Kemp and Tyler Hill
• Produced by Tyler Hill
• Episode graphic: Painting depicting the capture of Blackbeard, by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris, 1920. Courtesy Wikimedia Commons
• Our theme tune is Bella Ciao, thanks for permission to use it from Dischi del Sole. You can purchase it here or stream it here.

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