Please share this video, far and wide! You are in the midst of a
revolution. Modern Science is now beginning to confirm what
Spirituality, Philosophy, Sages, Ancient teachings and psychedelics have
been saying for millennia, that the entire Universe is One and that
what we think of as "reality" is just an illusion.. And the only real
thing in the Universe is Consciousness.
"If quantum mechanics hasn't profoundly shocked you, you haven't understood it yet." ~ Niels Bohr
A Revolution of Consciousness
John Hagelin, Ph.D on Consciousness Part 1 of 2
Part 2 of 2
Russell Brand Interviews Quantum Physicist Dr. John Hagelin
BBC Documentary - Kill Them All - The American Military in Korea
The Korean War was a bloody conflict. It left Korea, North and South,
with several million dead and the UN forces involved in the fighting
with over 100,000 casualties. But despite fighting as intense and as
violent as any other conflict since World War Two, Korea has always been
history's 'Forgotten War'.
While atrocities conducted both by North and South Korean forces have
already been documented, recently a much darker side to the US
involvement in the Korean War has begun to emerge. It casts a shadow
over the conduct of US forces during the conflict, particularly of
officers and generals in command. Declassified military documents
recently found in the US National Archives show clearly how US
commanders repeatedly, and without ambiguity, ordered forces under their
control to target and kill Korean refugees caught on the battlefield.
More disturbing still have been the published testimonies of Korean
survivors who recall such killings, and the frank accounts of those
American veterans brave enough to admit involvement.
The Korean War began on 25 June 1950 when communist North Korea invaded
the South with six army divisions. These North Korean forces, backed by
impressive Soviet equipment including tanks, made quick gains into the
territory. The United States decided to intervene in the defence of the
South and, taking advantage of the Soviet absence from the UN Security
Council, proceeded to press for UN resolutions condemning the invasion.
Days later a resolution was passed calling upon member countries to give
assistance to South Korea to repulse the attack. General Douglas
MacArthur, then in charge of US forces in the Pacific and of the
occupation of Japan, was appointed commander of the joint forces.
BBC Documentary - Kill Them All
Korean War - Documentary Film 1950 - 1953 Korean War in Color documents war-torn Korea the
way the soldiers saw it-in full, shocking color. This digitally mastered
DVD presents a true picture of war-full of terror, chaos, blood and
courage. Many of the images included here have never been seen by the
general public before, having been kept top secret for decades by
military officials for fear of a public backlash.
Here are just a
few of the color highlights: M.A.S.H. units in action-no Hawkeye, B.J.,
radar or Klinger here-these are the real men and women who saved
thousands of lives. Also, the daring Inchon invasion, the battle of
Seol, the Naktong River campaign, winter along the Chosin Reservoir, War
in the Skies, and legendary director John Ford s rare footage of the
1st Marine Division in Action.
In April 1950 Kim Il-sung
travelled to Moscow and secured Stalin's support for a policy to unify
Korea under his authority. Although agreeing with the invasion of South
Korea in principle, Stalin refused to become directly involved in Kim's
plans, and advised Kim to enlist Chinese support instead. In May 1950
Kim visited Beijing, and succeeded in gaining Mao's endorsement. At the
time, Mao's support for Kim was largely political (he was contemplating
the invasions of Taiwan and Tibet), and was unaware of Kim's precise
intentions or the timing of Kim's attack. When the Korean war broke out,
the Chinese were in the process of demobilizing half of the PLA's 5.6
million soldiers Stalin created "detailed [war] plans" that were
communicated to the North Koreans.
On 7 June 1950, Kim Il-sung
called for an election in whole Korea on 5--8 August 1950 and a
consultative conference in Haeju on 15--17 June 1950. On 11 June, the
North sent three diplomats to the South, who were later arrested by the
South. Fourteen days later on 25 June 1950, the North Korean People's
Army (KPA) crossed the 38th parallel border and invaded South Korea.
Jordan Maxwell continues as the preeminent pioneer researcher and
independent scholar in the field of occult / religious philosophy. His
interest in these subjects began as far back as 1959. His work on the
subject of secret societies, both ancient and modern, and their symbols,
has fascinated audiences around the world for decades. He returns to
kick off another new year. He'll speak about our crumbling, decaying
society and the signs of the slow collapse. Jordan explains how all
roads lead to Rome. Then, he gives his opinion on the Occupy movement
and other new revolutionary movements. Later, he explains how God or the
spirit, as a higher intelligence is the one who leads us into
discovering sacred knowledge based upon our desire to know truth but not
all will find it. He shares a bit about his own personal experiences.
In the second hour, we'll begin on the British/Israeli World Federation
and September 11th as an important date for the "new kingdom." Jordan
moves on to talk about a higher intelligence that has been manipulating
humanity for ages, leading and overshadowing us. He says different
factions of higher beings are at war with each other. We'll explore the
phenomena of reincarnation, free will, psychic ability and the questions
of why, who and where. Jordan ends with a personal UFO story from the
50's. He also discusses how the Bible doesn't really say God created
man.
The Collective Evolution 2: The Human Experience is a documentary
focused on showing each of the dimensions to the experience we call
life. The documentary does this by addressing exactly who we all are,
and why we are here. It further delves into each of the key pieces that
make up the human puzzle, namely the planet, the body, and the ego. The
documentary concludes by addressing the shift in consciousness that has
already begun and continues to intensify on the planet. It's intention
is to further provide the viewer with the tools and understanding it
needs to step out of current limitations and instead experience the
infinite potentiality we are all capable of.
The Collective Evolution II: The Human Experience
Food on the planet, sun gazing, evolution and accepting what we have made reality. Experience of life stepping in and out through different life. Disconnection and separation from ego. You are the soul listening to the thoughts.We identify with these thoughts which is continuously developing. Programs and ideas collected overtime and implanted. Controlling and portraying what they system wants to make it reality and response. Feeling and emotion is our guiding system. Repetition via school. Ego desires that harms our body. Quick fix with medicine. Escape who we are with substances. Our consciousness and mind are still the same that needs to change. We have war, greed, power, money, etc. disconnected from ourselves. Change the source which is us. Start to look inside ourselves, stop blaming others.Our actions affect the world around us and all living thinks from positive to negative actions. Matter is not solid, in a quantum level which is vibration. Particles/Matter and Wave pattern. Electron is aware when being watched. Before being define it is all possibility and up to us. Our consciousness can shape what we chose. Shift in consciousness and reality throughout the universe. Dissolving what we have preconceive. Go beyond our understanding to create something totally new and totally free. We all emanate a vibration in a frequency. We need to emanate a new wave.
Episode 1: The Invisible Science Episode 2: The Old Kingdom & the Still Older Kingdom Episode 3: Descent Episode 4: The Temple in Man Episode 5: Navigating the Afterlife Episode 6: Legacy Episode 7: Illumination Episode 8: Cosmology
There
is another side of Egypt that is not so widely known. Egypt is also the
land of secrets. Another history, a secret history, tells of Egypt as
the inheritor of deep wisdom and magical ability from an even earlier
culture. It is the account of the Egyptians themselves. This alternate
history is echoed by parallel accounts from the myth and history of
other ancient cultures, as well as myriad secret societies and occult
sources. The remarkable number of parallels in these stories provides a
unique window into this other Egypt.
A new kind of counterculture
is emerging around the unexpected discoveries of a small but growing
circle of scientists, authors and researchers. The focal point of this
counterculture centers on an alternative interpretation of ancient Egypt
-- not as mankind's earliest attempts at primitive civilization, but as
a fully developed, and inexplicably advanced culture, who's scientific
and metaphysical achievements we are only beginning to fully appreciate.
Magical Egypt - The Invisible Science Part 1 of 8
Magical Egypt - The Old Kingdom & the Still Older Kingdom Part 2 of 8
Magical Egypt - Descent Part 3 of 8
Magical Egypt - The Temple in Man Part 4 of 8
Magical Egypt - Navigating the Afterlife Part 5 of 8
Jordan Maxwell - Dean Haglund - Bob Dean - An Experience at Awake and Aware 2011
An Experience at Awake and Aware 2011 part 1 of 4 with Jordan Maxwell,
Bob Dean, George Noory, Dean Haglund, Richard Hoagland, Aaron McCollum,
Josef Dolezal, Jakub Dolezal, etc.
Mark Gungor, very popular speaker and couch on marriage relationships, answers questions like:
— Is there such a thing as a soul mate? — Why marriage is a hard work? — Can your mate meet all your needs? — How much of the job is my part in marriage? — Why communication is now so hard while it was so easy before marriage? — Why can't my spouse say exactly when he or she means? — Why women need to TAKE things from their men? — Why doesn't your husband do what you tell him? — Why isn't my marriage as perfect as other people's? — Do spouses need to do same things together all the time? — Why does my man do what he does, for what reasons? — Judging your spouse in a positive way. — Man's role in building up his wife's and children's self-image. — Why man can't focus completely on work and providing for his family? — Is it possible to have great sex life in marriage? — Can the effects of pornography and masturbation be reversed? — Is masturbation okay when you are separated for longs periods of time? — Who should initiate sex? — Is it okay to use sex to get what you want? — What if my husband wants sex all the time? — What do I do if sex is boring?
Jordan Maxwell has been researching secret societies, occult
philosophies, and ufology since 1959. His work is vast, extensive and
covers many different areas. It is not only fascinating to explore, but
too important to ignore. In this program we ask: where do we come from
and where are we going? We cover the mysterious past of humanity to the
modern ongoing "dumbing down" of the human family and our transhuman
future. Don't miss this three-hour program as we explore the mysterious,
tackle problems and discuss the philosophy of Jordan Maxwell. Topics
discussed: the mutation of the human race, the "new man", science, the
mysterious, religion, teachers and geniuses, Nicola Tesla, Royal Rife,
technology, J. Craig Venter, world wide plague, arrest development,
community responsibility, astrological ages, occult studies, ad hominem
attacks, Helena Blavatsky & Manley Palmer Hall, Theosophy &
Freemasonry, Gore Vidal, intellect, wisdom, knowledge, the mind of God,
spirituality, synchronicity and much more.
British author David Icke has written 20 books and traveled to over 55
countries since 1990. His books reveal how a hidden hand is behind
world-changing events like the attacks of 9/11 and the manufactured wars
in the Middle East, as part of a mass mind manipulation technique he
has dubbed problem-reaction-solution. While being controversial and
often heavily attacked, David Icke has driven on with his unrelentless
investigation into subject areas that others don't dare touch. David
returns to give us a peak into his upcoming presentation at Wembley
Arena, going deeper down the rabbit hole than anyone's gone before.
We'll discuss the limitations of conspiracy research and the need to
move beyond the aspects of the 5 senses. David explains how "reflex,
action" hinders a truly open mind. Then, he speaks on humanity's
awakening and the crossroads. The hour ends on the death of a showman,
Jimmy Saville, a grotesque paedophile, a necrophiliac, a close friend of
Prince Philip and one of Britain's most famous characters.
Alex Jones Piers Morgan - 1776 Will Commence Again' If Guns Taken Away
Tonight
Piers Morgan sat down with the creator of a White House petition to get
him deported from the United States. Alex Jones was fired up throughout
the entire interview, launching into a series of loud tirades against
Morgan and gun control every few seconds. Every time Morgan tried to ask
a question, Jones continued to pile through with his arguments.
Jones
said the point of the petition was to bring attention to the fact that
United States has a bunch of foreigners bragging about taking away the
guns of Americans while the gov't amasses more weapons for themselves.
He said that the Second Amendment isn't for "duck-hunting," it's to
protect us from "tyrannical government." He raised his voice to declare
to Morgan, "1776 will commence again if you try to take our firearms!"
Morgan
attempted to explain that the United States has significantly more gun
murders than England, but Jones dismissed the argument outright. He
called England a "police state," telling Morgan he "fled" to the United
States, going so far as to call Morgan a "hatchet man of the New World
Order."
Morgan tried to patiently walk through the finer points
of the gun control debate with Jones, but he went on tirade after tirade
on an ever-angrier series of tangents. Jones repeatedly criticized
Morgan for trying to trip him off with "little factoids" instead of
getting to the heart of the gun debate.
I do not believe that is our race, or our religion, our gender, our
height, our looks, our job, our sexual orientation, or any other
superficial characteristics that define us as human beings. Trumping all
these by a country mile, it is our consciousness -- the most intimate,
precious, sapient, unique and individual part of ourselves -- that is
really the essence of who and what we are. Indeed, at the deepest level
it is what we are -- to the extent that if we are not sovereign over our
own consciousness then we cannot in any meaningful sense be sovereign
over anything else either. For these and many other reasons I strongly
oppose the "war on drugs" which, in my view, has created an engine of
oppression and control in society by which the State claims the right,
purportedly in our own interests, to regulate our very thoughts and
inner experiences, and to trespass the sanctum of our consciousness.
I
was recently interviewed by Cara Lavan of Knowdrugs.net on the subject
of drugs, the drug war, personal freedom and cognitive liberty. The
interview, which is embedded here, captures some of the key points that I
feel have been neglected, and must be taken into account, if we are
ever to get to grips with these issues in society. -- Graham Hancock
See more at: http://www.knowdrugs.net/ "We
think there's something missing in the conversation about drugs and
we're setting out to change that. Connect to Know Drugs and help bring
honesty into the the debate."
Graham Hancock interview for Know Drugs - "bringing honesty into the conversation"
When the US
government ignored repeated warnings by its own scientists and allowed
untested genetically modified (GM) crops into our environment and food
supply, it was a gamble of unprecedented proportions. The health of all
living things and all future generations were put at risk by an infant
technology.
After two decades, physicians and scientists have
uncovered a grave trend. The same serious health problems found in lab
animals, livestock, and pets that have been fed GM foods are now on the
rise in the US population. And when people and animals stop eating
genetically modified organisms (GMOs), their health improves.
This
seminal documentary provides compelling evidence to help explain the
deteriorating health of Americans, especially among children, and offers
a recipe for protecting ourselves and our future.
As
the Mayan Calendar comes to an end (most interpretations of the Mayan
Long Count place this epic event on or near 21 December 2012), and over
17 years after he first published his seminal book on the subject,
Fingerprints of the Gods: The Evidence of Earth's Lost Civilization,
Graham Hancock speaks out about the state of our planet, consciousness,
time travel, and what he has learned on his remarkable journey through
life.
In this provocative and often poignant interview, Graham
speaks passionately and at length on these, and many other emotionally
charged subjects, such as Atlantis, the significance of Göbekli Tepe,
and his own experience with marijuana, ayahuasca, and DMT.
The
interview is by Andrew Gough, who met with Graham in July 2012 in
Graham's home in the English West Country. A condensed version of the
interview can be found in the September 2012 edition of New Dawn
Magazine [http://www.newdawnmagazine.com/], and an extended version will be featured in The Heretic Magazine [http://thehereticmagazine.com/]
(a new history and mystery magazine for which Andrew is Editor) on 1
November 2012, and still another version will be featured on Andrew's
'Arcadia' [http://www.andrewgough.com/] website soon after that.
Please
note that the interview was originally conducted for New Dawn Magazine
and was only recorded for purposes of converting Graham's audio
commentary into text. We apologise any loss of sound quality and hope
that you nevertheless enjoy the interview.
Graham Hancock interviewed for New Dawn Magazine | Revisiting 2012
"Fingerprints
of the Gods" author Graham Hancock explains why all politicians should
drink Ayahuasca 10 times, the gruesome Aztec history behind his new book
"Wargod", why he took Ibogaine to gain closure with his late father,
and how Joe Rogan is just an all-around cool dude.
"You said that all politicians should be required to drink Ayahuasca 10 times before taking office." - Brian (00:46)
"All
across the world we have a venal class of dishonest, self-serving
bureaucrats who are using the power we give them to oppose themselves
upon us." - Graham (01:52)
"You
have to understand that we've had more than 40 years now of massively
financed propaganda called the 'War on Drugs'." - Graham (03:10)
"In
a way it's a very Orwellian world where language is being used against
us. It's almost impossible to approach the issue of 'drugs' without
immediately linking it to the notion of 'abuse.'" - Graham (04:47)
"Do
we as adults have the right to make decisions about what we put in our
own bodies and what we experience with our own consciousness without
reference to the powers of the state or must we seek permission from the
state in order to explore our own consciousness?" - Graham (05:17)
"I
find again and again you get these instant knee-jerk reactions. 'Oh
they're talking about a drug, this isn't be for me. They must be dirty
people.'" - Graham (08:37)
"I
don't believe I would have written that book if I hadn't had this nudge
from this curious plant ally called cannabis." - Graham (13:37)
"I don't do things by half-measures. I was smoking a very great deal of cannabis for 24 years." - Graham (14:10)
"During
those Ayahuasca sessions whatever intelligence spoke to me directly and
made it very clear to me that my journey with Cannabis had come to an
end." - Graham (15:33)
"It's astonishing that one plant intervened to stop me working with another plant." - Graham (19:20)
"There
are all kinds of ways to challenge ourselves. Some people do it by
climbing a mountain or scuba diving. The most profound and challenging
ordeals is to drink Ayahuasca. It is in a way the ultimate adventure." -
Graham (24:06)
"I want to find out about your new book. Can you talk about it?" - Brian (45:30)
"There
is very clear documentation of the sacrifice of 80,000 human beings
over the course of 4 days so the entire city was filled with human
blood." - Graham (49:58)
"The
demonic realm got involved in the human world and said. 'We've made
things really bad in Mexico already, how can we make things worse?" -
Graham (51:20)
"The 22yr old Graham Hancock had an awful lot to learn." - Graham (59:42)
"Iboga is the root bark of a bush that grows in Central Africa." - Graham (1:00:53)
"It's
a sacred duty to see a loved one through the transition and it's also a
tremendous gift that the loved one gives to us, the opportunity to
learn from it." - Graham (1:05:23)
"The one thing I'm glad about is that I did have the opportunity to tell my Dad that I loved him." - Graham (1:06:58)
"If you were really a tough guy you'd take Iboga and Ayahuasca at the same time." - Nic (01:08:28)
"The
active ingredient in Ayahuasca is Dimethyltryptamine. I've done some
work with pure D.M.T. as well, I've done 11 journeys." - Graham (01:08:48)
"Joe
is such a lovely, wonderful human being with an incredibly open and
inquiring mind and just very very gentle and very very intelligent and I
definitely got high on the conversation." - Graham (01:17:55)
"I've
really enjoyed this conversation, time has really flown, it reminded me
of my conversation with Joe Rogan. Nice, relaxing, positive, enjoyable
feeling." - Graham (01:20:40)
This film, by Luis Eduardo Luna, is one of the very first films -if not the first- documenting ayahuasca among mestizo population of the Peruvian Amazon. It was part of Luna's field work carried out in the Iquitos area
during July and August 1981, concentrated on the practices of Don Emilio Andrade Gomez, a "vegetalista" living 12 km from the city. The film Don Emilio and his Little Doctors (1982) was made during that time. It is a complement to Luna's doctoral dissertation "Vegetalismo. Shamanism Among the Mestizo Population of the Peruvian Amazon", published in Stockholm in 1986.
Don
Emilio was born in Iquitos in 1918. When he was 14 years old, and while
working in the Amazon river, near the mouth of the Napo river, he took ayahuasca for the first time. He did it in order to curarse, a term that implies the cleansing and strengthening of the body. When he took ayahuasca for the fifth time, while keeping to the prescribed diet imposed by his teacher, an old man with a flute and a drum appeared in his visions to teach him icaros, magic melodies.
Don Emilio & His Little Doctors (1982), by Luis Eduardo Luna
See
Luis' recent article, titled 'Towards an exploration of the
mind of a conquered continent. Sacred plants and Amerindian
epistemology' http://www.grahamhancock.com/forum/LunaLE2.php
Luis Eduardo Luna with Sonia Doubell on Ayahuasca Healing
Some of the Artwork shown is by Ruysen Flores Venancino when stated:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000630822591
---------------
Short Documentary / Testimonial on my Ayahuasca experience at the Tierra Vida Ayahuasca retreat in Pucallpa, Peru. Including
an introduction on Ayahuasca, the process of creating Ayahuasca,
footage of an actual Ayahuasca ceremony and explanation on the
psychedelic experience including my own thoughts and conclusion.
---------------
Thoughts on consciousness, cognitive liberty, the so-called "war on
drugs", the evils of the State, the delusions of patriotism and
nationalism, the tyranny of established religions, the mysteries of
Ayahuasca, and the strength and fundamental goodness of the human
spirit.
Graham Hancock questions Richard Dawkins on psychedelics and challenging his world view
Dr Richard Dawkins, author of books such as The Selfish Gene (http://amzn.to/NjmDZ8) and The God Delusion (http://amzn.to/NdfGdY),
is famous for his materialist views about the nature of reality and his
belief that "the supernatural... can never offer us a true explanation
of the things we see in the world and the universe around us." On 3
November 2011, Dr Dawkins visited the British city of Bath to promote
his new book The Magic of Reality (http://amzn.to/NdfMm5)
and gave a reading at the Bath Central Library. In the Q&A session
following the reading Graham Hancock, author of books such as
Fingerprints of the Gods (http://amzn.to/x7PNY3), Supernatural: Meetings with the Ancient Teachers of Mankind (http://amzn.to/thGLVP), and Entangled (http://amzn.to/sKUGuR),
pointed out to Dr Dawkins that many traditional hunter-gather cultures
believe there are other realities -- spirit worlds and so on and so
forth -- and concrete techniques, such as the use of psychoactive
plants, to access them. "As a scientist," Hancock asked, "have you ever
seriously engaged such techniques to have first-hand experience of what
they're talking about, and perhaps even to challenge your own concept of
what is real?"
In view of Dr Dawkins' influence and importance
as a shaper of public opinion his reply, given before an audience of
several hundred, is a matter of public record and public interest and
shows him to be more open-minded than many of his critics might allege.
The Master, Derren Brown is back in 2011. This time to prove,
without any doubt, it is possible to program somebody to become an
assassin via in hypnosis whilst having no recollection of the event.
NOTICE:
The use of the Derren Brown copyrighted Channel-4 video material is
strictly used for critical analysis. Such use is considered "Fair Use"
under US Copyright law. Thank You and Enjoy!!!
FULL FEATURE DIRECTORS SPECIAL EDITION: From UFOTV! Accept no
imitations..- No where is the evidence so strong that Ancient Aliens
existed on Earth in our deep past marking extraterrestrial influences
that have shaped human history. Peru has become legendary to both
explorers and scientists alike as one of the most mysterious places on
Earth.
This
fascinating two-part feature length program provides a fresh
perspective on the many amazing wonders that can only be found in this
remarkable part of the world. The ancient Nazca Lines, the Paracas
Trident, the Megaliths of Marcahuasi, the summit of Machu Picchu, the
hand carved Ica Stones, the strange Paracas Skulls, and a vast network
of underground tunnel systems are explored and filmed here for the first
time.
UFOTV® Presents : Ancient Aliens in Peru - Directors Double Feature
The Ancient world of Demons, Reptilians, Gods and the Djinn
The
Ancient world of Demons, Reptilians, Gods and the Djinn includes
Reptilians, Demons and the Djinn in ancient mythology Full Documentary
reptilian demon ghost 2011 Documentaries ars goetia mayan eygptian
sumerian greek indian gods and demon list WOLVOMAN80 king solomon
gargoyle sinbad chinese dragon all seeing eye of horus ancient aliens
and ufo ufos jesus saves sinners the holy bible adam and eve lilith
snake people angels and demons 300 spatans jinn aztec gods evil demons
sprits real witch witches illuminati alien mark beast conspiracy angels
world armageddon secret ufo new demons mind control prophecy fallen
goddess pagan ancient mythology genie aladdin wizards black magic magick
slidehow and commentary sources include holy bible the quran sumerian
writings and many more illuminati gods new world order demonic scene
from movie scary music 2011 full documentary Demons and Gods from the
ancient world Full DOCUMENTARY Vampires Pazuzu exorcism Hell 7 princes
Jesus 7 lucky gods sumerian demons ghosts ancient aliens history channel
bbc cnn discovery documentary 2011 demon ghost ufo alien scary movie
loads more demon reptilian ancient gods and djinn documentary "horror
movie"
Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act
1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism,
comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use
is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be
infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in
favor of fair use. youtube decided to ignore this law and block the
video nearly worldwide. Wolvoman80 Download 4 hour link in description
this is the finished versionTo watch FREE DOCUMENTARIES ( Not available
on youtube ) follow the link below
It is thought that cane sugar was first used by man in Polynesia from
where it spread to India. In 510 BC the Emperor Darius of what was
then Persia invaded India where he found "the reed which gives honey
without bees". The secret of cane sugar, as with many other of man's
discoveries, was kept a closely guarded secret whilst the finished
product was exported for a rich profit.
It was the major expansion of the Arab peoples in the seventh century
AD that led to a breaking of the secret. When they invaded Persia in
642 AD they found sugar cane being grown and learnt how sugar was made.
As their expansion continued they established sugar production in other
lands that they conquered including North Africa and Spain.
Sugar was only discovered by western Europeans as a result of the Crusades in the 11th
Century AD. Crusaders returning home talked of this "new spice" and
how pleasant it was. The first sugar was recorded in England in 1099.
The subsequent centuries saw a major expansion of western European trade
with the East, including the importation of sugar. It is recorded, for
instance, that sugar was available in London at "two shillings a pound"
in 1319 AD. This equates to about US$100 per kilo at today's prices so
it was very much a luxury.
In the 15th century AD, European sugar was refined in
Venice, confirmation that even then when quantities were small, it was
difficult to transport sugar as a food grade product. In the same
century, Columbus sailed to the Americas, the "New World". It is
recorded that in 1493 he took sugar cane plants to grow in the
Caribbean. The climate there was so advantageous for the growth of the
cane that an industry was quickly established.
By 1750 there were 120 sugar refineries operating in Britain. Their
combined output was only 30,000 tons per annum. At this stage sugar was
still a luxury and vast profits were made to the extent that sugar was
called "white gold". Governments recognised the vast profits to be made
from sugar and taxed it highly. In Britain for instance, sugar tax in
1781 totalled £326,000, a figure that had grown by 1815 to £3,000,000.
This situation was to stay until 1874 when the British government, under
Prime Minister Gladstone, abolished the tax and brought sugar prices
within the means of the ordinary citizen.
Sugar beet was first identified as a source of sugar in 1747. No
doubt the vested interests in the cane sugar plantations made sure that
it stayed as no more than a curiosity, a situation that prevailed until
the Napoleonic wars at the start of the 19th century when
Britain blockaded sugar imports to continental Europe. By 1880 sugar
beet had replaced sugar cane as the main source of sugar on continental
Europe. Those same vested interests probably delayed the introduction
of beet sugar to England until the First World War when Britain's sugar
imports were threatened.
Today's modern sugar industry is still beset with government
interference at many levels and throughout the world. The overall
pattern can be seen by investigating the mid 1990s' position in the
interactive map on the Introduction page.
Annual consumption is now running at about 120 million tons and is
expanding at a rate of about 2 million tons per annum. The European
Union, Brazil and India are the top three producers and together account
for some 40% of the annual production. However most sugar is consumed
within the country of production and only approximately 25% is traded
internationally.
One of the most important examples of governmental actions is within
the European Union where sugar prices are so heavily subsidised that
over 5 million tons of white beet sugar have to be exported annually and
yet a million tons of raw cane sugar are imported from former colonies.
This latter activity is a form of overseas aid which is also practised
by the USA. The EU's over-production and subsequent dumping has now
been subjected to GATT requirements which should see a substantial
cut-back in production over the next few years.
Big Sugar Sweet, White & Deadly by: Brian McKenna
Documentary about Big Sugar, from it's early days with ties to slavery
to modern times with it's detrimental effects on the everglades and
political ties. This is both part 1 and part 2. Written & Directed
by: Brian McKenna. Produced by:Galafilm in 2005.
As good as
this is, it barely touches on the negative effects it has on Florida
residents, poisoning the water supply, endangering animals and plant
species etc... for more information I very highly recommend reading Keri
Hendry's article: http://floridacrackercrumbs.wordpress.com/2008/06/01/raising-cane-a-history-o...