It really is fundamental to understanding why people like Columbus and de Gama were the way they were from knowing the state of Europe at the time. They were violent and desparate mercenaries from a violent and desparate place, when they arrived anywhere their first thoughts were "ok, what can I immediately loot and sell here, if I don't come back with something good my debtors are gonna cut my balls off"
https://www.reddit.com/r/BlackWolfFeed/comments/oj7mzt/540_its_coming_rome_feat_patrick_wyman_71221/
Graeber also explored this in Debt. The mindset enabled the conquistadors and encomienda overseers to commit unspeakable cruelties for riches like it was nothing.
I’m excited to read about this. Currently reading Open Veins and its analysis of colonial political economy is pretty good
The reading group is still up at !anarchism@hexbear.net if anyone wants to take a look.