This Is the World’s Weirdest Stock Market

We all understand how the modern stock market works. By buying shares of a company, you’re in for a (very, very) small portion of its profits when it does well. Given the type of companies that turn record profits, I wouldn’t exactly say you’re not profiting off of suffering, but it’s all above board, at least on paper. Basically, it’s easier to deny that you’re earning money from other’s misfortune holding Raytheon stock than it is taking a cut of a literal ransom.

Which, at one point, was exactly what you could do in Somalia at the height of the reign of Somali pirates. In Haradheere, residents had the opportunity to fund pirate operations via money, supplies or weaponry, and in return, they’d receive part of the cut on successful operations. One woman reportedly donated a rocket-propelled grenade to the pirate armory and made $75,000 when her ammunition led to a successful ransom operation.

It’s obviously not a pleasant business, but credit for abandoning all pretense on how profits are made in this world. You could also take solace in the fact that there’s a minor Robin Hood element, since the same “stock market” supported local infrastructure like schools. 

All in all, if they’re still seeking investors, I’ll at least send a freshly printed Jolly Roger over and hope it helps my retirement account.