Philosophy And Allotment: John Locke’s Influence On Henry L. Dawes

51 Pages·2020·1.028 MB·English

by  David Bergeron

SPRINGER BRIEFS IN HISTORY OF SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY
David Bergeron
Philosophy and
Allotment : John
Locke’s influence
on Henry
L. Dawes
123
SpringerBriefs in History of Science
and Technology
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Theodore Arabatzis, University of Athens, Athens, Greece
Bretislav Friedrich, Fritz Haber Institut der Max Planck Gesellschaft, Berlin,
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More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/10085
David Bergeron
Philosophy and Allotment :
’ fl
John Locke s in uence
on Henry L. Dawes
123
DavidBergeron
Department ofPhilosophy,
Political Philosophy,Political Science,
Political andNativeHistory
Faculty of Arts andSocial Sciences
University of Moncton
Moncton, NB,Canada
ISSN 2211-4564 ISSN 2211-4572 (electronic)
SpringerBriefs inHistory ofScience andTechnology
ISBN978-3-030-38173-8 ISBN978-3-030-38174-5 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-38174-5
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A fundamental difference between barbarians
and a civilized people is the difference
between a herd and an individual
Edward Parmelee Smith
Commissioner of Indian Affairs (1873)
To Dr. Andrius Valevicius, for proofreading
my manuscript (my thoughts are with you…),
To Dr. Jean Manore and Bishop’s
University’s History Department, for inviting
me as a visiting scholar,
To Dr. Marie-Noëlle Ryan and Moncton
University’s Philosophy Department, for all
the professional opportunities and
gastronomical events (now and to come),
Finally, to all who understand and cherish
the fundamental links between Philosophy
and History,
Moncton, November 2019
D. B.
Contents
1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
2 General Thought and Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3 Locke’s Pedagogy and Theory of Property as a Conceptual
Framework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
3.1 Political Liberalism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3.2 Nature, Work, Education and Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4 Replacing Henry L. Dawes’ Policies in Their Conceptual
Framework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
5 Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
ix
Chapter 1
Introduction
Abstract ThisarticleproposestoreplacethethoughtofamajorAmericanhistorical
actorinNativepolicies,HenryLaurensDawes,initsproperconceptualframework.
IndividualismandliberalaxiologyareinherenttotheAmericanexperience.Territo-
rialexpansionisalsofoundational.ItsjustificationisfoundedingreatpartinJohn
Locke’s philosophy. The assimilation of the Native American is central to such a
process, since through it is created the possibility of opening the territory to colo-
nization. Previous studies have been mostly centered on Dawes’ concrete policies
withoutdigginguptheirphilosophicalroots,albeitinaverysuperficialway.Where
inLockeantheoryareDawes’ideasonNativeassimilationandallotmentsituated?
We think that Dawes’ approach to“civilizing” the Indian isfounded both on John
Locke’s theory of property and on his educational philosophy. Scholarship needs
such an analysis to truly understand the conceptual roots of his ideas and policies
towardsNativeAmericans—tribesandindividuals.WethinkthatforDawes,Locke’s
secondofthreeeconomicstages,centeredonbasicsubsistenceagriculture,isanepis-
temologicalprocessandapedagogicalregimepermittingtheIndianto“westernize”
invaluesandwaysoflife,beingthusabletofullyintegrateAmericansociety.
· · · ·
Keywords HenryL.Dawes JohnLocke NativeAmerican Frontier
· · · · · ·
Expansion Philosophy Individualism Territory Axiology UnitedStates
· ·
Property Work Allotment
Latenineteenth-centuryAmericawitnessesthegradualdisappearanceoftheFron-
tier.Theneedforlandiseverpressing.PoliticalscientistLouisBalthasarexplainsthe
possessiveindividualismatthecenterofthecolonizationprocess,whichbegunwith
thefirstsettlersintheseventeenthcentury.HeexplainsthepreponderanceofJohn
Locke’sphilosophyforanindividualistprojectfoundedonanaturalrightstheoretical
framework.1Cultureandhistoricalrights,inherenttoBritishliberalism,givewaytoa
1LouisBalthasar,“Lesfondementsdelaculturepolitique,”inEdmondOrbanandMichelFortmann
(eds.),Lesystèmepolitiqueaméricain(Montréal,LesPressesdel’UniversitédeMontréal,2001),
pp.13–16and23.
©TheAuthor(s),underexclusivelicensetoSpringerNatureSwitzerlandAG2020 1
D.Bergeron,PhilosophyandAllotment:JohnLocke’sinfluenceonHenryL.Dawes,
SpringerBriefsinHistoryofScienceandTechnology,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-38174-5_1
2 1 Introduction
politicalteleologyfoundedonanaturalistandmoralaxiology:thegovernment’srai-
sond’êtreistocreateeconomicpossibilitiesforeachcitizen.2Theendisfundamen-
tallynegative.AslegalscholarEdwardM.Morgannotes:“accordingtoLocke,state-
imposed order provides protection and security, but is only desirable to the extent
thatsuchsecurityallowstheindividualtofreelyenjoyhisownrightsandproperty.”3
Historian Joseph S. Lucas notes the foundational importance of the territory.
CentraltotheRevolutionisthethemeofcolonization.4Afterthe1840s,theFederal
Government’s zeal for territorial expansion increases, supported by the idea of a
Manifest Destiny for a white and liberal Anglo-America justified in appropriating
territory through its development.5 Anthropologists tend to confirm this view. For
Lewis Henry Morgan, the concept of property is inherent to the White’s superior
stageofcivilization.6
TheIndianoccupiesthespacesneededforcolonization.Anevermoreaggressive
policy of territorialappropriation is supplemented by a desire to settle the Natives
onindividual parcels oflandtomakethemsedentary farmers,thusfacilitatingthe
acquisitionoftherestoftheterritoryforthesettler.OnthestepsofThomasJefferson
affirming that the termination of their history is the better for them,7 many late
nineteenth-century politicians and administrators are eager for the abolishment of
Nativeculturestomakespaceformodernity.Backedupbyscientificevolutionism,
racial theory and natural rights philosophy, the common saying is that one has to
kill the Indian to save the man, meaning his inherent “humanity.” This discourse
blendstogetherculture,raceandhumannature.OnesuchexampleistheAmerican
evolutionistphilosopherandhistorian,JohnFiske.8TheIndian’swayoflifeandthe
conceptofpropertyarecentraltojustifyterritorialappropriation,andsoisthetheme
ofhiseducationforassimilation.
2SeymourMartinLipset,AmericanExceptionalism.ADouble-EdgedSword(NewYork,W.W.Nor-
ton&Company,1996),pp.19–64;KatherineFierlbeck,PoliticalThoughtinCanada:anintellectual
history(Peterborough,BroadviewPress,2006),pp.57–58.
3Edward M. Morgan, “Self-Government and the Constitution: a Comparative Look at Native
CanadiansandAmericanIndians,”AmericanIndianLawReview,vol.12(1984),p.41,note11.
4JosephS.Lucas,“CivilizationorExtinction:CitizensandIndiansintheEarlyUnitedStates,”The
JournaloftheHistoricalSociety,vol.6,no.2(June2006),p.235.
5Sam W. Haynes, “Breaking the “Iron Hoop”: U.S. Fears of British Encirclement and the War
againstMexico,”inPierreLagayette(ed.),La«DestinéeManifeste»desÉtats-UnisauXIXesiècle.
Aspects politiques et idéologiques (Paris, Ellipses, 1999), p. 20; Annick Foucrier, “Le contexte
politiqueetidéologiquedel’annexionduTexasetdelaCalifornie,”inibid.,pp.37–46.
6Philippe Jacquin, “La conceptualisation de l’Indien, les origines scientifiques et culturelles de
l’idéologieexpansionnisteauXIXesiècle,”inibid.,pp.124–125.ScottRichardLyons,“TheScience
of the Indian”, in Greil Marcus and Werner Sollors (eds.), A New Literary History of America
(Cambridge,TheBelknapPressofHarvardUniversityPress,2009),pp.317–321.
7ThomasJefferson,TheWritingsofThomasJefferson(AlbertE.Bergh(ed.),Washington,Thomas
JeffersonMemorialAssociation,1907),vol.10,pp.362–364.
8Jacquin, “La conceptualisation de l’Indien,” pp. 126–128; Salwa Nacouzi, “La «destinée
manifeste»chezJohnFiske,”inLagayette(ed.),La«DestinéeManifeste»,pp.183–189.