or small offenses. Serious offensesare tried before a pirate jury. In addition, the quartermaster served as the trustee for the wholeships company in Defoes words, for the captain can do nothing which the quartermaster doesnot approve of . . . for he speaks for and looks after the interests of the company (Mark 202). Before setting off on a voyage, the pirates called a council to delegate duties in preparation fordeparture. The council delegated a duty to each crew member such as getting needed provisions. Another council was put together to create a list of laws (or code of conduct) for the voyage inwhich everyone had to adhere to. This code was to be enforced upon the ship and stated:protection for equal votes for each member, delegation of equal work for each member, restrictedgambling, restricted sexual relations, and provided monetary compensation for injuries (piratesweb site). The best noted code of conduct is that of Bartholomew Roberts. At that time, all ofthe worlds nations were mainly monarchies. Men often deserted their military to join pirate crewslooking for better treatment. Democracy aboard a pirate vessel provided the crew with freedommany did not have. The pirates may have been outlaws but there were those who had human decency. Not allpirates are the drunken villains set out for us in todays society. The pirates disregarded the lawsof the world and followed their own. The governments of the world during this time offered littledemocracy to its citizens. The pirates had the right to choose their leaders. The well being of thecrew was always most important. For a society as the pirates to be deemed uncivilized is not fair.I am not disputing that there existed ruthless madmen terrorizing the sea, I want to show thatpirate life does not require a lack of human decency. The pirates had their own version ofworkmans compensation insurance fund. Before a loot was evenly divided amongst the crew,an amount was...
