throwawayasdf1

laws in the british empire were enforced, and followed almost religiously. The HMS bounty is about the only time anyone has openly mutinied against the empire and kept their life and freedom, or perhaps the US in 1776

consider that the rum rebellion was put down in australia in 1810 by the royal navy, or the Wager mutiny - the survivors of a shipwreck/mutiny on the south coast of Chile in 1741 were court martialled in London a few years later. A sailor in those days even in a place as far flung as china or south africa would reasonably fear ending up being hanged in london

better than living in europe in the aftermath of the 30 years war, where up to 50% of the population died in some areas. these settlers were effectively chancing disease (p to 50% fatality rates on voyages were common) and wilderness instead of nearly certain persecution and war

It is not really a concept of western society, it is more so a concept which predated capitalism (i.e. in FEUDAL society which did not have finance or wages) in north western europe. particularly for instance with laws like this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statute_of_Labourers_1351 , and the one from 1349

Idleness and failure to contribute to the state was seen to be a fatal flaw. It also predates the protestant/catholic dichotomy stereotype of hard working wasps vs. mercantile catholics