Super Short Summary

Sweetness and Power by Sidney W. Mintz explores the history of Caribbean sugar production and its impact on the global market and industrial capitalism. Mintz examines how sugar has held different meanings for various social classes over time, from an exotic status symbol to a daily necessity. The book highlights sugar's role in transforming food practices, the mercantile relationships between England and its colonies, and the societal shifts driven by industrial capitalism. Topics of forced labor and colonial exploitation are present.