What made people turn to piracy?

Particularly in the Atlantic during the 15th to 18th century?

youtube.com/watch?v=Dr6DhdHSgjQ

Dosh.

You came from nothing and you only know how to work ships, your pay in the Navy was less than 1/10 of when you were a pirate. People take the gamble that they'll be the 10% that survive piracy.

Also a lot of pirates were privateers under contract with governments.

A lot of people will say money.

But I like to think it also had to do with the fact that talented commoners were prevented from advancing in there society.
Besides the very brief revolutionary period, you had to be a noble to climb the ranks in the military.

If you are a talented ambitious member of the third estate, do you join the navy and spend the rest of your life as a deckhand for some incompetence noble or do you and your friends scrounge up enough money to buy a small vessel and go pirating?

sex

many pirates brought back sex slaves

Allá muevan feroz guerra, ciegos reyes por un palmo más de tierra, que yo tengo aquí por mío cuanto abarca el mar bravío, a quien nadie impuso leyes.

Wealth,power and fame

No police on the seas white boi.

Imagine how much rape was going on for the female members of the crew.

The same things that make others turn to bandit Ryan and smuggling for a living.

Forgot pic

Can't sing shanties on Navy ships

LOWLANDS
LOWLANDS AWAAAAAAAAAY ME JOHNS

You could earn good money in it, could get government contracts and had democracy (outside battles) and insurances.

The English navy draft was brutal and unfair and you would probably die of scurvy after a few years and a crooked back from all the lashing and many times those peasants didn't have any allegiance to the crown, so why the fuck wouldn't you stab that pompous wig wearing cunt in his fucking dick and stay in some tropical paradise banging native cuties?
The real question is why 95% of them didn't rebel

FAAAAAAAAAAarewell 'n' Adieu to you SPANISH ladies

Lack of work ethic and massive self esteem.

FOR WE'VE RECEIVED ORDERS FOR TO SAIL FOR OLD ENGLAND

I presume it's the same reason people steal shit today.
>I want that thing you have
>The easiest way for me to get it is intimidating you or fucking you up

Was piracy associated with adventure back in the day? Might be another reason.

England paid them

Holy fuck, this answers exactly what I need to do, and why I should do it.

Thanks!

>Besides the very brief revolutionary period, you had to be a noble to climb the ranks in the military.

If you're talking about the US "Revolution", all the high ranked were nobles
The French Revolution was the first one that saw commoners rise up

>female members of the crew.

Played to much video games senpai

Unemployed sailors. When tensions increased colonial powers increased the number of warships and recruited sailors. When there were periods of relative peace navies were downsized. This created unemployed navy veterans who could make a lot of money using their expirience and looting than any civilian trade.

Opportunity and necessity. Plus privateers were often government sanctioned. Such as English and French pirates who were allowed to prey on Spanish ships.

>piracy was easy

What are you on about? It existed not because it was easy but it was often the only way for sailors to make a living.

Easy money, freedom, equality, godlessness.

YA HARR HARRR

WHAT TURNED PEOPLE INTO PIRACY YOU SAY?

THE NEED FOR ADVENTURE AND MURDER


or just like with all crimes - neccessity