Distribution of justice

The distribution of justice was a practice commonly adopted by pirates. Ships operated as limited democracies (for more details, see pirate code) and imposed their ideas of justice upon the crew of the ship that they captured. After capture, the crew would be questioned as to whether they had suffered cruel or unjust treatment from the commander of the ship. Any commanders "against whom Complaint was made" would be punished or even executed. This punishment was not indiscriminately given to all ship's commanders. An "honest Fellow that never abused any Sailors" would be rewarded, and sometimes freed.^[1]

This distribution of justice was seen as of profound importance by pirates. Bartholomew Roberts' crew even designated a member of his crew, George Wilson, as their "Dispenser of Justice".^[1]

See also

• Pirate code
• Bartholomew Roberts
• George Wilson

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Peter Linebaugh and Marcus Rediker (2000). "Hydrarchy: Sailors, Pirates, and the Maritime State". The many-headed hydra: sailors, slaves, commoners, and the hidden history of the revolutionary Atlantic. Verso. pp. 162–164. ISBN 9781859847985. 

Further reading

• David Cordingly (1999). "Distributing Justice". Pirates: Terror on the High Seas, from the Caribbean to the South China Sea. World Pubns. ISBN 9781572152649. 
• Marcus Rediker (2004). "To Do Justice To Sailors". Villains of all nations: Atlantic pirates in the golden age. Beacon Press. ISBN 9780807050248.