The Diamond Dilemma: Value, Control, and Colonialism

This chapter investigates the paradox of diamond valuation, tracing their journey from ancient India to modern marketing strategies that inflate their worth despite their availability. It highlights key historical figures and events from the 19th-century diamond rush in South Africa, revealing the brutal realities of mining and the corporate monopolies that constrained market supply. The narrative also parallels past and present corporate practices, critiquing the ethical implications of such economic power during colonial times and its lingering effects today.