Restoring Democracy: Implications of American Indian Efforts to Return Tribal Governance to Participatory Values

Abstract

Stephen M. Sachs*

The U.S. Government's attempts to create or restore democratic governments abroad have often failed in large part for failing to sufficiently take account of local values and conditions. American Indian Nations, struggling to overcome the problems of the U.S. government's imposition of culturally inappropriate forms of tribal government have achieved some instructive successes in returning governance to traditional inclusive participatory values, while providing useful lessons in some incomplete or aborted cases. This paper focuses on the efforts of the Southern Ute Tribe, The Comanche Nation and the Navajo Nation. This has involved applying traditional values through appropriately adapting contemporary means along with traditional ways for current circumstances with an eye for future development. The Southern Utes have been quite successful over time in providing numerous ways for everyone involved in a decision to participate in its's making, ending community division over the imposed governmental system. The Comanches overcame deadlock and tribal infighting by adapting a contemporary consensus planning process successfully to provide member input into tribal council and local community decision making, but failed to fully institutionalize it. Navajo Nation has developed a number of interesting proposals for central government improvement, while launching a not yet fully realized decentralization of functions to its 110 chapters.

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