A Programme for comparative ethnology
Bartolome de Las Casas
In Democrates secundus article, we can see the great debate between Sepulveda and Las Casas in Valladolid. Sepulveda ‘ s attiude is very different to Las Casas. Because as we see Las Casas’ s other article The Devastation of Indies , he tries to explain that Indies are innocent they need to be educated. So stil in this article he stil continues his argument.
In this article we can see the subject matter is ‘’ barbarism ‘’ . Las Casas criticises the Americans because they think that Indies are barbarian and they are not belonged to human society they are like animals so that to educate them they can torture them and behave them cruelly. But it is not true for Las Casas. For him the personal experience is very important and they can be educated without harming them. He gives and example on Aristotle’s definition of the ‘’barbarian’’ as a natural slave. And Las Casas takes and tells that ‘’this theory of natural slavery quite literally. If natural slaves, who are psychologically imperfect creatures, are to be identified simply with all those peoples who are called ‘’barbarians’’ then the Indians who are in some sense , barbarians must also be natural slaves.’’ But he also thinks that there is mistake about this definition. He explains the term of ‘’barbarians’’ in four materials. Firstly, he thinks that ‘’ any cruel ,inhuman ,wild and merciless man acting aganist human reason’’ as we see that this inculudes the Sparniards and Americans who acts very cruelly towards Indies. Secondly , he thinks that language is very important and a man must have partial control exercised by other species over their environment. Thirdly , they have to be educated they must therefore be compelled to live ‘’more like men’’ or at least be prevented from harming those who do. Because their life is simple and there is no laws or rules. Fourtly , they have to learn the Christian ideology and philosophy
Of the four categories of barbarians described in the Argumemtum apologiae only two concern Las Casas’s attempt to classify the American Indian. All Indians are, fort he purposes of definition ,non Christians and many may also be ‘’ wild and merciless men acting aganist reason but they are not barbarian.
As a conclusion , before finishing my essay, I want to give an example from Chief Seattle’s letter;
‘’ One thing we know - there is only one God. No man, be he Red man or White man, can be apart. We ARE all brothers after all."
…
Thank you !!
