Las Casas

Ignorance is often the root of injustice, however, when it is combined with a profitable opportunity, the injustice escalades to intolerable cruelty. Such is the case that is exhibited in Las Casas' recount of History of the Indies which illustrates this outcome through the events following the Spanish occupation of the Caribbean islands, referred to in the text as the Indies. This book demonstrates the deterioration of the Indians' morale from a position of social stability and cultural pride to a dehumanized slave population as a result of the Spaniard's merciless tactics and oppression.

Las Casas focuses much attention on the description of the Indians as an independent culture that is capable utilizing rationale to govern themselves as ``they are gifted with better judgement and greater ability to rule themselves`` (Las Casas 7), consequently criticizing the Spaniards ignorant claims that they need to conquer the Ð''irrational rebels'. In his writings, the Indians are characterized as a culture with an established political and economic system, contradictory to the claims that they are incapable of organization as he states here, "in reality, they have kings and governors, villages, houses and property rights and communicate with one another on all levels of human, political and social relations, living in peace and harmony`` (Las Casas 82). Although they are critiqued for their `strange` culture, the Indians are portrayed as a humble and defenceless society, possessing Christian values that are common to the Spaniards as ``their rites and customs differ but they all have in common the traits of simplicity, peacefulness, gentleness, generosity, and, of all the sons of Adam, they are without exception the most patient...they are eminently ready to be brought to the knowledge of their Creator and to the Faith`` (Las Casas 36). Due to the `mild and pacific temperament of the natives``(Las Casas 78), the cruel oppression of the Spaniards was not necessary, as it is evident that the Indians were a complying race. Yet, it may be best to examine the mass murders, torture and annihilation imposed on the Indians by the Spaniards to fully understand their descent from an independent civilization to mere pawns at the Spaniards` disposal.

The Spaniards `looked upon them with contempt and their inhabitants held as beats incapable of doctrine and virtue`` (Las Casas 7) and accordingly justified crimes against the Indians as a measure that ``was more than not only to keep the Indians pacified...but also to subdue and kill them all, which is what they did`` (Las Casas 77). The availability of gold in the Indies promoted the enslavement of entire tribes, forcing them