The Bitter Cauldron
The Dire Side of Sugar The Sweet Economy: Barbados Sugar Economy. Barbados, typically called the "Gem of the Caribbean," owes much of its historical prominence to one product: sugar. This golden crop changed the island from a little colonial outpost into a powerhouse of the worldwide economy during the 17th and 18th centuries. Yet, the sweet success of sugar was built on a foundation of shackled labour, a reality that casts a shadow over its legacy. The Boiling Process: A Lealthal Task Sugar production in the 17th and 18th centuries was a highly dangerous process. After collecting and crushing the sugarcane, its juice was boiled in massive cast iron kettles till it crystallized into sugar. These pots, frequently arranged in a series called a"" train"" were heated by blazing fires that workers had to stoke continually. The heat was extreme, and the work unrelenting. Enslaved employees withstood long hours, frequently standing near to the inferno, risking...