From its beginnings in Jamaica in 1655, the sugar industry became an competitive, global, and extremely profitable industry. Cane sugar was known to the western world Pre-Columbian era , but not on a large scale. The sugar trade was driven by factors in Europe, including the high demand for sugar, European desire to gain wealth in the new world, and the mercantile system. Conditions outside of Europe also developed the sugar trade, such as conditions in the new world, and trade of new products, such as coffee, tea, and chocolate, as well as the highly profitable West African slave trade. These factors all stimulated sugar production, which in turn increased the demand, which increased production, etc. Of all the factors, the most simple is
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First and foremost, the sugar industry was capital intensive. For 500 acres of land, 300 slaves were recommended. The cost of just one slave was more than an English day laborer’s annual income. The middle and lower class could not afford to be a part of sugar trade (differing from many citizens investing in the slave trade). Aside from the cost of slaves, also needed to run a plantation were cattle, servants, goods, and supplies for building dozens of structures, not to mention purchasing the land itself. Most plantations were controlled by wealthy families who owned thousands of acres and slaves. In this we see the beginning of capitalism. The average citizen may not have directly benefited from the sugar industry as the upper class did. This suggests that the lower class may not have had any influence on the sugar industry as it was controlled by the upper class, and was an expensive commodity (at least until prices dropped as production increased). This is another reason that the viewpoint of a middle/lower class citizen is necessary. Either way, the desire of the European elites to conquer more land in the new world and become wealthy led to control of more land, therefore, production of more sugar. The sugar could then be sent to England where it would be refined and sold at high prices in England, the colonies, and other countries. This system, the mercantile system, established through a series of laws starting in 1660 helped drive the sugar trade. All factors in developing the sugar trade work together. As England became a wealthy nation, not only did citizens have more money to spend on sugar and other items, benefitting the economy, but the British slave traders used goods made from raw materials in the colonies to purchase more slaves to send to the colonies.To the extent of which England used solely goods
First and foremost, the sugar industry was capital intensive. For 500 acres of land, 300 slaves were recommended. The cost of just one slave was more than an English day laborer’s annual income. The middle and lower class could not afford to be a part of sugar trade (differing from many citizens investing in the slave trade). Aside from the cost of slaves, also needed to run a plantation were cattle, servants, goods, and supplies for building dozens of structures, not to mention purchasing the land itself. Most plantations were controlled by wealthy families who owned thousands of acres and slaves. In this we see the beginning of capitalism. The average citizen may not have directly benefited from the sugar industry as the upper class did. This suggests that the lower class may not have had any influence on the sugar industry as it was controlled by the upper class, and was an expensive commodity (at least until prices dropped as production increased). This is another reason that the viewpoint of a middle/lower class citizen is necessary. Either way, the desire of the European elites to conquer more land in the new world and become wealthy led to control of more land, therefore, production of more sugar. The sugar could then be sent to England where it would be refined and sold at high prices in England, the colonies, and other countries. This system, the mercantile system, established through a series of laws starting in 1660 helped drive the sugar trade. All factors in developing the sugar trade work together. As England became a wealthy nation, not only did citizens have more money to spend on sugar and other items, benefitting the economy, but the British slave traders used goods made from raw materials in the colonies to purchase more slaves to send to the colonies.To the extent of which England used solely goods