A History of Coffee 2) Slavery, Suffering and Affordable Luxury
Feb 17, 2021
Delve into the bittersweet history of coffee, where luxury meets exploitation. Uncover the hidden costs of colonialism and how it shaped European coffee culture. Explore stories of enslaved individuals who suffered for the price of your daily brew. Learn about Babu Dhan, a legendary figure in coffee's journey from Yemen to India. Understand the oppressive dynamics on plantations and reflect on the environmental impact of today's coffee production. This narrative reveals how the beloved beverage transitioned from an elite luxury to an affordable commodity, rich with cultural significance.
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Coffee Price Collapsed Over Centuries
- Coffee went from being extremely expensive in the 1700s to drastically cheaper over centuries, changing its social role.
- Jonathan Morris shows prices falling from ~$13 per pound to about $1 per pound over 300 years, revealing a long deflationary trend.
Colonialism Drove Coffee's Massification
- Colonialism is central to coffee's cheapening and mass adoption in Europe.
- Jonathan Morris calls that process "the heart of the story of coffee" and highlights its mixed legacy.
Baba Budan: A Coffee Origin Myth
- James recounts riding through India and reaching Baba Budan, the mythic source of Indian coffee.
- Jonathan Morris notes the story is likely myth and credits Gujarati traders for spreading coffee instead.
