I have been researching the influence of Native American economic organization on the Western European economic thought and theories that arose during the enlightenment. The influence of Native American economic and political organization on the transition of European society from a feudal system to modern economies based on capitalism and communism and a melding of those two idealistic system, is often ignored. My aim is to examine the Native American influence on the economic theories that arose based on personal freedom and communitas. I will use this website to post my research. I appreciate comments.
Before 1491 two different economic and political models existed, in Eurasia the economy and political systems were based on a pyramid of power, enforced through domination and war. In the Americas the economic and political systems that existed were based on personal freedom and communitas. Liberty and egalitarianism coexisted and the system relied on cooperation and diplomacy. The meeting of the two world brought about changes that have been ongoing for over five hundred years. The economic theory arose during the Enlightenment, found in Adam Smith’s writings especially the Wealth of Nations, was based on personal freedom and became the basis of Capitalist theory. The idea of communitas influenced the writings of Engels and became incorporated into the theory of communism. These two theories have influenced the structure of economies and continue to do so. These two paradigms, a pyramid of power versus a circle of cooperative interaction based on personal freedom, continue to be in conflict today.
I have presented two papers at the Eastern Economic Conference in 2016 and 2017 the drafts of which are presented on this site.
The titles of the papers are:
“The Influence of the Culture and Ideas of the Iroquois Confederacy on European Economic Thought” by Sergia Coffey, PhD
“Paradigms in Conflict: A Comparison of the Economic Organization of Pre-Columbian America and Europe” by Sergia Coffey, PhD