The majority of pirates turned to the life of an outlaw due to the gruesome conditions they were subjected to during work and not due to promises of riches and complete freedom of action.
The first value that a pirate would have chosen to state as a superior choice over what’s nations provided was the promise of fair treatment. In his book “Villains of All Nations: Atlantic Pirates in the Golden Age,” Markus Rediker described many adverse aspects of the life of a sailor, such as disregard of their safety, health, and economic prospects. While these issues were not entirely resolved in a pirate society, they are much less prominent. Disobedience was the direct result of excessive punishments, unreal expectations, and the lack of controlling organs that could hear sailors’ plights.
The second value that someone who turned to piracy would have appreciated was the liberties that come with less vertical hierarchy. While the life of a pirate is not a glorious one, it may be chosen by some due to extreme pressure from their commanders and employers. In chapter 6, Rediker discusses the beginning of the class, race, and gender struggles among Atlantic nations. The violent nature of relationships between captains and their subordinates was only part of it, as an entire government was not suited to listening to the lowborn.
The third value that a pirate could have stated was the freedom to refrain from any religious practices. Rediker reveals that many sailors were not religious even before becoming pirates. There was an apparent dissonance between sailors’ life and religious dogmas that were commonly preached at that time. This disdain may be the reason behind more frivolous practices among pirates and more openly discussed themes of death and earthly pleasures.