Indian Givers: How the Indians of the Americas Transformed the World

Chapter 7 explores the impact of the Indian way of life on European and American philosophical thought, particularly the concepts of democracy and freedom. Weatherford writes, “Egalitarian democracy and liberty as we know them today owe little to Europe […] They entered modern western thought as American Indian notions translated into European language and culture” (128). The Greeks and Romans are often credited with pioneering these concepts, but Weatherford argues that while Europeans occasionally did reject monarchy in their history, they often moved in the direction of oligarchy, or the rule of the few, not true democracy.

Weatherford opens the chapter with a modern-day powwow. The celebration gets off to a slow and somewhat disorganized start, but once the dancing and singing is underway, the powwow represents a communal gathering, with all participants, regardless of gender, age, or social status, dedicated to helping one another. He observes, “Each participant responds to the collective mentality and mood of the whole group but not to a single, directing voice” (120).

This respect for individualism and equality was foreign to Europeans. After exposure to this way of life in the New World, the concept spread through the Old World like wildfire.