Colonialism 2.0 – Part III: The Bitter Harvest: Chocolate and Chains in the Modern Empire

This is merely a drop in the bucket. A small excerpt, a story written only because I fell down a rabbit hole. It is difficult to write these stories but I need to document these injustices. So today it is the truth behind chocolate and if it makes you think twice before buying that next chocolate bar, then my voice would not have been raised in vain.

The Sweet Lie

Let’s be honest. Chocolate is comfort, celebration, and seduction. It is a bar of sweetness exchanged during holidays, tucked into lunchboxes, and melted into desserts designed to soothe a weary day. It is a reward.

In our minds, chocolate holds a near-sacred status. Yet, the reality behind that sweetness is not pleasant. It is, in fact, bitter and bloody. Over 60% of the world’s cocoa comes from West Africa—particularly Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana—where an estimated 1.56 million children labor under brutal conditions to hand-harvest cacao pods. They wield machetes, lug heavy sacks, and sacrifice education. Their pay is minimal—if they receive any at all.

This is not a metaphor. This is not a tale from the past. This is the present.

The Field and the Factory

For many years, major chocolate companies have claimed they would implement changes. Nestlé, Hershey, Mars, Ferrero, and Mondelez have signed agreements, released beautiful reports, and funded selective projects. Yet, the exploitation remains unchanged.

The truth is clear: the chocolate industry is a billion-dollar business. These corporations do not grow cacao; they buy it cheaply, reap the profits, and rely on layers of contractors and convoluted supply chains to shield themselves from accountability. Cacao farmers earn only a few cents, while CEOs earn millions. This is the game the way it’s always been played. The abundance in the world being hoarded by the greed of the few.

Ethics as Branding

The rise of “fair trade” and “ethically sourced” chocolate has provided a buffer for consumers who have begun to ask questions. However, many of these certifications are limited, unregulated, or optional, addressing only a fraction of the supply chain. Is fair trade really fair? It tries. But many small farms cannot afford the fees to become certified, and even when they join a co-operative, they’re often paid by that co-op—who siphons money off the top. So yes, the farmer might be paid a semi-fair wage, but the workers—many of whom are children—never are.

The concept of “ethical chocolate” has evolved from a focus on genuine justice to merely providing reassurance to consumers. It is not designed to liberate workers but to make buyers feel good about their choices. The majority of cocoa farmers in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire make less than $2.00 per day.

Look—this story runs deep. Deeper than one article can dig or possibly tell. We see the façade. It wears a new label, and we accept it because we want to believe that good intentions are enough. But think about this: as little as 11% of the world’s chocolate contains any fair trade-certified cocoa—and even then, “fair trade” doesn’t always mean what we think it does. Chocolate is more than cocoa. And while some ingredients might be certified, the cocoa itself often isn’t.

The True Cost of Sweetness

As of the most recent studies, over 1.5 million children are working on cacao farms in West Africa. Many bear scars. Some never return home. At the same time, the chocolate industry keeps growing—luxury brands, artisanal bars, Valentine’s Day gifts wrapped in gold. The actual cost of chocolate isn’t shown on the label. It’s concealed in the silence we choose to maintain.

Toward Freedom

This isn’t a plea for purity. It’s a call for awareness.

Consumers can back small, transparent cooperatives and direct trade initiatives. We can inquire. We can choose not to look away. But the more profound task is this: to break down the empire that relies on exploitation as its base. To recognize that colonialism didn’t vanish—it just rebranded. And every time we consume thoughtlessly, we become its voice.

We aren’t powerless. But we are involved. This isn’t about feeling guilty.
 It’s about facing the truth.
And how we act on it. The chains have transformed.
 But they’re still present.
 Will we continue to pretend we don’t see them?

NORC / U.S. Department of Labor – Child Labor in Cocoa (2020)
Fairtrade Foundation – Cocoa Farming
Food Empowerment Project – Slavery in Chocolate
International Cocoa Initiative – Child Labour
Oxfam – Living Income for Cocoa Farmers
Human Rights Watch – Cocoa Supply Chains