How has U.S.

capitalism affected the communities

of Native Americans?

By Jack, Leti and Ollin

Thesis
● Legal status of reservations and discrimination
toward Native Americans has left a marginalized
people disenfranchised by the economy they live
in. A small portion of Native Americans do take
advantage of the capitalist economy, but the
exception not the rule.
● In addition to the research we did for a thesis,
we also created a survey, which contained a link
for a website filled with most of the information
presented on this presentation.
Audience
● Consumers of fake Native American products produced by non-Natives.
● Economic actors who exploit or discriminate against Native Americans.
History of Native Industries Timeline
History of Native Industries Timeline
Timeline Summary
● Natives since the beginning of the United States have used whatever economic
opportunities they could to support themselves.

● The United States Government has varied between supporting Native

industries and preventing their creation.

● The poverty rate of Native American

communities is not due to a historic inability
to adapt to a capitalist society but to the actions
of other groups working against them
(Economic Histories).
Effects of U.S. Policies
● Policy: Relocation of Native tribes onto reservations
● Effect: Isolation from metropolitan developments, poor land quality for
agriculture, forced reliance on state paternalism.

● Policy: Dawes Act

● Effect: The poor land of reservations was divided up for
individual Native families. The families that couldn’t
farm on the poor land sold their plots, further shrinking
the reservations (Sociological Form).
Poverty
● Due to the limited opportunities on reservations
from 1940-2000 the percentage of Native
Americans that live in metropolitan areas grew
from 8% to 64%.

● In urban centers however the poverty rates of

Native Americans can range from 28%-48%.
The unemployment rate is over 19% and are
more likely to be employed part time than Non-Hispanic whites.

● The low rate of employment of Native Americans in metropolitan areas is most

likely due to discrimination in hiring and lack of promotion (Sociological Form).
Casinos
● Legalization of gambling in Native
American reservations has led to a
new facet of capitalism for Natives.
● While the benefit of casino income
has been questioned, the conclusions
drawn by a cited study showcases
that the additional income provided
by casinos leads to a general
improvement of quality of life and in
quality of health (Tribal Casino
Gaming).
Culture Clash
● Isolative location of reservations leads to caution of
the outside world and other people.
● The traditions of Native Americans depend on
contact with nature and inherently leads to
inexperience with digital technology.

● Despite these limiting factors people with enough drive can see success in fields
of computer science. By getting a college education, on and off reservations,
Native Americans can have successful careers.
● At the moment these people enjoy success despite being Native Americans not
because of it (Neglected Workforce).
Cultural Exploitation Effects
● In a group of 288 Native people, ages 15-24,
37% attempted suicide (Suicide in Native
Adolescents).
Cleveland Indians fan confronted by a Native
● The general population suicide rate is 0.013% (CDC). American man.

● Native American symbolism are often used as mascots, logos and designs by
non-natives.

● The exploitation of the culture of Native Americans as mascots, logos, branding

and merchandise cause isolation from the rest of modern society. It is damaging
to the identity and self-esteem of Native Americans (Exploitation of Indian
Symbols).
Plastic Shamans Commercialization of Native American cultures
● A product of the New Age, a plastic
shaman makes a profit by selling a
bastardized Native American image
to consumers
● Many Native Americans have
denounced plastic shamans,
however arguments of defense have
used the First Amendment and
“universal spiritualism” (Astroturf
Dances).
Survey Demographic
● Large majority are white, under 18 and
pro-capitalism. Slight majority male.
Survey Results
● Forming industries with
the U.S. economic
system was the least
chosen option of Native
American resistance.
Survey Results

● The majority of surveyed believe

that Native Americans do not benefit
from capitalism but do from casinos.
Survey Results
● Andy Smith, Native American
scholar and former president of
Woman of All Red Nations,
specifically targeted white
feminists for “promoting and
selling books that exploit
Indian spirituality” (Astroturf
Dances).

● Yes: 83% female

Maybe: 67% female
No: 22% female

● All answers had a similar ratio

of ethnicities, 82-83% white.
 Website and Survey link
https://capitalism-and-native-a
mericans.weebly.com/
Link to the website we created,
which can be accessed through
the survey. Contains most of the
information in the presentation
in a simple, aesthetic, easy to
digest format.
https://goo.gl/forms/kg6oP
gwjD4IeZhFF2
The survey that we had
people take, which also
directed them to the website
earlier stated.
 Resources
Information:
● Aldred, Lisa. “Plastic Shamans and Astroturf Sun
Dances”. American Indian Quarterly, Vol. 24 Issue 3,
University of Nebraska Press, Summer 2000,
p329-352.24p. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1185908.
Accessed 19 January 2018
● Brockie, Teresa, et al. "The Relationship of Adverse
Childhood Experiences to PTSD, Depression, Poly-Drug
Use and Suicide Attempt in Reservation-Based Native
American Adolescents and Young Adults." American
Journal of Community Psychology, vol. 55, no. 3/4, June
2015, pp. 411-421. EBSCOhost,
doi:10.1007/s10464-015-9721-3.
Images:
● Casino: Wisconsin Dells Attractions
http://www.wisconsin-dells-attractions.com/ho-chunk-ca
sino-wisconsin-dells.html
● Lynn Andrews: Concious Life Expo
http://www.consciouslifeexpo.com/workshops-2014/lyn
n-andrews.html Accessed 19 January 2018
● Lipscomb, Carol. Comanche Indians. Texas State
Historical Association,
https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/bmc72,
2/1/2018.
● Nazaryan, Alexander. California Slaughter: The
State-Sanctioned Genocide of Native Americans.
Newsweek,
http://www.newsweek.com/2016/08/26/california-nati
ve-americans-genocide-490824.html, 8/17/16.
 Resources
Information: Images:

● Curtain, Sally, M.A., Hedegaard, Holly M.D., M.S.P.H., ●

Warner, Margaret, Ph.D. “Increase in Suicide in the
United States, 1999-2014”. NCHS Data Brief No. 241, ● https://paulwandrews.wordpress.com/2016/12/
April 2016,
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db241.ht
22/the-american-legacy-of-the-trail-of-tears/
m. Accessed 19 January 2018
● http://ssbearcats.weebly.com/dawes-act1.html
● Davis, James J., et al. "American Indian Poverty in the
Contemporary United States." Sociological Forum, vol. ● http://blog.nativepartnership.org/native-america
31, no. 1, Mar. 2016, pp. 5-28. EBSCOhost, n-american-indian-or-indian/
doi:10.1111/socf.12226.
● http://www.businessinsider.com/photo-indians-f
● Fryer, Bronwyn. "Neglected Workforce." Computerworld, an-redface-native-american-protester-2014-4
vol. 33, no. 51, 20 Dec. 1999, p. 48. EBSCOhost,
search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&
AN=2720227&site=ehost-live.
 Resources
Information: Images:

● Harmon, Alexandra, et al. "Interwoven Economic https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/201

Histories: American Indians in a Capitalist America." 6/04/10/473547227/for-the-navajo-nation-uran
Journal of American History, vol. 98, no. 3, Dec.
ium-minings-deadly-legacy-lingers
2011, pp. 698-722. EBSCOhost,
search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h
&AN=67628698&site=ehost-live.
https://daplpipelinefacts.com/

● Hemmer, Joseph J., Jr. "Exploitation of American https://www.costumecraze.com/p/INDN155-adu

Indian Symbols: A First Amendment Analysis." lt-native-american-indian-costume
American Indian Quarterly, vol. 32, no. 2, 01 Mar.
2008, pp. 121-140. EBSCOhost,
https://www.halloweencostumes.com/mens-chief
search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric
&AN=EJ788143&site=ehost-live. -long-arrow-costume.html

● Wolfe, Barbara, et al. "The Income and Health Effects

of Tribal Casino Gaming on American Indians."
Demography, vol. 49, no. 2, May 2012, pp. 499-524.