Fresh Lens Podcast – Episode 22: “Pirate Enlightenment”
In this episode, Trish and Hirad discuss David Graeber's final book, Pirate Enlightenment. This concise work examines the political organisation of pirates who ultimately settled on Madagascar after a lifetime of raiding vessels in the Indian Ocean.
A casual discussion where Trish and Hirad, two Graeber enthusiasts latch onto Pirate Enlightenment hoping to unearth intriguing connections between the call for political experimentation in The Dawn of Everything and pirate history. Despite finding it to be a tough read, both agreed that the book had a promising premise.
Why it matters: The discussion offers a good summary of the book, including its shortcomings. The speakers highlight the major contributions of the book such as the egalitarian culture of pirates, the inspiration behind the myth of Libertalia, and discussions on Ratsmilaho and the Betsimisaraka Confederation formed during his time.