In this book, Ulbe Bosma details how the British and Dutch introduced the sugar plantation model in Asia around 1800, when abolitionist campaigns in the Caribbean began, and refashioned it over time. Previously, European markets had almost exclusively relied on Caribbean sugar produced by slave labor.
This work presents a comprehensive 2,500-year history of sugar, tracing its evolution from a luxury item in Asia to a global commodity linked to environmental devastation and the obesity crisis. For much of history, refined sugar was absent from human diets, as its extraction was labor-intensive and it served no essential dietary purpose. Granulated sugar first appeared in India around the sixth century BC, yet it remained largely marginal until its sudden proliferation in modern diets. The narrative begins with early sugar production and follows its journey through the Middle Ages, where limited quantities were traded among royalty. The demand for sugar in Europe, where cane could not be grown, led to a brutal search for supply, relying heavily on enslaved labor; two-thirds of the 12.5 million Africans transported across the Atlantic were destined for sugar plantations. By the twentieth century, sugar became a primary calorie source in Europe and North America, profoundly impacting cultures through industrialization, labor migration, and dietary changes. This commodity not only generated wealth and influenced government policies but also incited movements for freedom with far-reaching effects. Understanding sugar's history reveals the complexities of our current reliance on it and highlights the significant threats it poses to health, the environment, and society.