Concept in Definition ABC

The term pirate is a general denomination that refers to seafarers engaged in illicit activities or illegal from the XVl century. There are several types of pirates and each of them has its own particularities. Thus, the corsairs were navigators who had an authorization of a government (the famous letter of marque) to attack or sabotage enemy ships. The buccaneers come from the current Dominican Republic and Haiti and based their activity on the Commerce of skins with other ships. The filibusters were dedicated to seizing ships in order to appropriate the loot. In this way, corsairs, buccaneers and filibusters are different names for understanding the same activity, piracy.

The pirate in fiction

The literature and the movie theater they need attractive characters to attract the attention of readers and viewers. The character of the pirate in fiction has been described with a number of striking traits: he is a fearless adventurer with a free spirit, a seducer and a brave man. The world of pirates is accompanied by a certain aesthetic (eye patches and wooden legs) and values, mainly the

Liberty. This image of pirates may be attractive but we should not forget that it does not correspond to the historical reality of pirates, who were criminals who used the violence and what did they put in danger commercial activity and navigation.

The aesthetic of piracy is present at carnival, in theme parks dedicated to children's entertainment and in some establishments.

The new pirates

The traditional pirates (known for their black flag and a white skull along with some crossed bones) were disappearing with the passage of time. However, this does not mean that they are completely extinct. Today there are also pirates and they are mainly engaged in hijacking ships (Somali pirates operating in the Horn of Africa are known as warlords). Let us not forget, on the other hand, that smuggling as an illegal activity bears a resemblance to the world of piracy.

The sea is not the only natural environment for traditional or current piracy, but the concept of piracy presents other areas of action. On the one hand, it refers to the sale of copied products and, therefore, it is an illegality that does not respect the laws of copyright and the rights of Author. On the other hand, a variant of the same idea would be piracy computing that, while it is an illegal activity, it has some supporters (the advocates of free software).

Photos: iStock - Imgorthand / mppriv

Pirate Themes