The Golden Age of Piracy was a radical, self-governing alternative to the exploitative and life-threatening conditions of the British Royal Navy and merchant fleets. Life aboard a naval ship was brutal, with harsh discipline, low wages, and a high risk of death or injury with no compensation.
The UK has historically been one of the most centralized countries in the Western world, with Westminster politics and Whitehall bureaucracy deeply ingrained in almost every aspect of public life. This centralized model of public service delivery has been “tested to destruction,” leading to a lack of excellence and proving both ineffective and expensive due to attempts to micromanage services from the centre
