Accumulation Quote by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
“Investors, monarchies, and parliamentarians devised methods to control the processes of wealth accumulation and the power that came with it, but the ideology behind gold fever mobilized settlers to cross the Atlantic to an unknown fate. Subjugating entire societies and civilizations, enslaving whole countries, and slaughtering people village by village did not seem too high a price to pay, nor did it appear inhumane. The systems of colonization were modern and rational, but its ideological basis was madness.”
About This Quote
Source Book: An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States, Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, 2019
Colonial powers used economic and political systems to dominate wealth, while a gold‑driven ideology spurred violent conquest and exploitation.
In simple terms: Colonial greed and gold fever caused massive oppression.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how ideology can justify cruelty.
Themes
colonialism
greed
violence
ideology
exploitation
Mood
somber
critical
Type
historical
political
When to use this quote
- historical analysis
- policy critique
- education curricula
Key Concepts
imperialism
economic control
psychology of conquest
Questions to Reflect On
- How does profit motive shape historical narratives?
- What alternatives could have resisted such exploitation?
A Different Perspective
The narrative may overlook agency of colonized peoples.
![“How will the family unit be destroyed? ...[T]he demand alone will throw the whole ideology of the family into question, so that women can begin establishing a community of work with each other and we can fight collectively. Women will feel freer to leave their husbands and become economically…” quote by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/046/roxanne-dunbar-ortiz-24305_community_how-will-the-family-unit-be-destroyed-t_1560275.jpg)
