fieldston american reader volume i – fall 2007 - Ethical Culture ...

Juan Gines de Sepulveda:“The Great Debate”Juan Gines De Sepulveda, a distinguished scholar of Aristotle,was official historian of the Spanish crown. In 1547 he wroteThe Second Democrates to defend the Spanish Conquest of theAmericas. He used the substance of that argument when he debatedBartolomede Las Casas three years later. Bartoleme de las Casas,a Spanish colonist, a priest, founder of a Utopian community andfirst Bishop of Chiapas, was a scholar, historian and 16th centuryhuman rights advocate. Las Casas has been called the Father of antiimperialismand anti-racism. Others take a more guarded or modestview of his achievements. What there is little or no dispute about isthat Las Casas was an early and energetic advocate and activistfor the rights of native peoples. Consider the arguments that areset forth by the two men. Which argument do you think is moreeffective? Why? How might these ideas shape the sentiments andmentalities of the colonizers for years to come?Sepulveda (1550 in the Spanish capital of Valladolid)Superior SpanishThe man rules over the woman, the adult over his children.That is to say, the most powerful and most perfect rule overthe weakest and most imperfect. The same relationship existsamong men, there being some who by nature are masters andothers who bynature are slaves.Those who surpass the rest in prudence and intelligence,although not in physical strength, are by nature the masters.On the other hand, those who are dim-witted and mentallylazy, although they may be physically strong enough to fulfillall the necessary tasks, are by nature slaves.It is just and useful that it be this way. We even see itsanctioned in the Book of Proverbs: “He who is stupid willserve the wise man” [11:29].And so it is with the barbarous and inhumane peoples [theIndians] who have no civil life and peaceful customs. It willalways be just and in conformity with natural law that suchpeople submit to the rule of the more cultured and humaneprinces and nations. Thanks to their virtues and the practicalwisdom of their laws, the latter [the Spanish] can destroybarbarism and educate these people to a more humane andvirtuous life. And if the latter [the Indians] reject such rule, itcan be imposed upon them by force of arms. Such a war willbe just, according to natural law....Barbaric IndiansUntil now we have mentioned their impious religion andtheir abominable sacrifices, in which they worship the Devil asGod, to whom they thought of offering no better tribute thanhuman hearts...They placed these hearts on their abominablealtars. With this ritual they believed that they had appeasedtheir gods. They also ate the flesh of sacrificed men.War against these barbarians can be justified not only onthe basis of their paganism but even more so because of theirabominable licentiousness, their prodigious sacrifice of humanvictims, the extreme harm that they inflicted on innocentpersons, their horrible banquets of human flesh, and theimpious cult of their idols....Merciful ForceSince the evangelical law of the New Testament is moreperfect and more gentle than the Mosiac law of the OldTestament, so also wars are now waged with more mercy andclemency. Their purpose is not so much to punish as to correctevils.What is more appropriate and beneficial for these barbariansthan to become subject to the rule those whose wisdom, virtue,and religion have converted them from barbarism into civilizedmen (insofar as they are capable of becoming so), from beingtorpid and licentious to becoming servants of the Devil tobecoming believers of the true God?For these barbarians, our rule ought to be even moreadvantageous than for our Spaniards, since virtue, humanity,and the true religion are more valuable than gold or silver. Andif they refuse our rule, they may be compelled by force of armsto accept it. Such a war will be just according to natural law.Bartolome de Las Casas (1550 in the Spanish capital ofValladolid)Human EqualityThere are no races in the world, however rude, uncultivated,barbarous, gross, or almost brutal they may be, who cannot bepersuaded and brought to a good order and way of life....Thus, the entire human race is one; all men are alike withrespect to their creation and the things of nature, and none isborn already taught. And so we all have the need, from thebeginning, to be guided and helped by those who have beenborn earlier.Thus, when some very rustic peoples are found in the world,they are like untilled land, which easily produces worthlessweeds and thorns, but has within itself so much naturalpower that when it is plowed and cultivated it gives useful andwholesome fruits....Noble IndiansAll the races of the world have understanding and will,and that which results from these two faculties in man--that is,free choice. And consequently, all have the power and abilityor capacity...to be instructed, persuaded, and attracted to orderand reason and laws and virtue and all goodness.They are very apt to receive our holy Catholic faith, tobe endowed with virtuous customs, and to behave in a godly19