Civilized society Quote by Lame Deer
““Before our white brothers arrived to make us civilized men,we didn't have any kind of prison. Because of this, we had no delinquents. We had no locks nor keys and therefore among us there were no thieves. When someone was so poor that he couldn't afford a horse, a tent or a blanket, he would, in that case, receive it all as a gift. We were too uncivilized to give great importance to private property. We didn't know any kind of money and consequently, the value of a human being was not determined by his wealth. We had no written laws laid down, no lawyers, no politicians, therefore we were not able to cheat and swindle one another. We were really in bad shape before the white men arrived and I don't know how to explain how we were able to manage without these fundamental things that (so they tell us) are so necessary for a civilized society.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview with Lame Deer, 1975, documentary on Native American life
The speaker claims that before European colonization, their society lacked prisons, laws, and private property, implying a more harmonious existence without modern institutions.
In simple terms: Before colonizers, they lived without prisons, laws, or private property.
Key Takeaway
Question the necessity of modern institutions for societal harmony.
Themes
indigenous culture
colonial critique
property
law
societal structure
civilization
Mood
reflective
critical
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
historical
sociological
When to use this quote
- anthropology
- history
- social policy
- education
- community development
Key Concepts
Anarchism
communal living
social contract
Questions to Reflect On
- What aspects of modern society could be reimagined to reduce oppression?
- How does the loss of communal values affect social cohesion?
A Different Perspective
Modern legal and economic systems can create inequality and oppression.
![“I know that [civilized men] do nothing but boast incessantly of the peace and repose they enjoy in their chains… But when I see [barbarous man] sacrifice pleasures, repose, wealth, power, and life itself for the preservation of this sole good which is so disdained by those who have lost it; when I…” quote by Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b98/jean-jacques-rousseau-418_born-free_i-know-that-civilized-men-do-nothing-but_1084258.jpg)
![“That country [Carthage] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws; and every step of intestine discord was marked by some deplorable victory of savage man over civilized society.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/70c/edward-gibbon-710_barbarism_that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinkin_393.jpg)
