“‘They Are the Soul of the Council’: The Iroquoian Model of Woman-Power” written by Barbara Alice Mann stands in stark contrast to “The Federalist Papers,” written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. One is a matriarchy; the other a patriarchy. One is characterized by peace and egalitarianism; the other by war and hierarchy. One is a form of governance that we now only read about in books; the other is one we are governed under. Here, the two texts are compared and contrasted to study the areas concerning the role of government in a society, the role of the people in a governed society, and the fundamental reason for governing – the nature of humankind. Mann describes the model of governance of the Iroquois people, codified
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Rather than ostracize, punish, and isolate those who stray, as well as the “enemy,” the Iroquois guide others through their own actions, and when the time comes that the “enemy” chooses to leave the darkness and join the “light,” the Iroquois not only extend an invitation, but also provide them a position in their society (61, 63). (While this may not be directly relevant to the prompt, I found this to be a profound and progressive way of thought that is completely opposite to the justice system that we currently have in our society. Rather than rehabilitate and reintroduce those who have made mistakes in their lives, we punish, stigmatize, and marginalize them, making it nearly impossible for them to rejoin society.) It is when those who believe that the political or governing system is not representative of their beliefs that conflicts break out, and it is through preventing these feelings of isolation and marginalization that peace is maintained. This is one of the most important principles of the Iroquois in terms of maintaining peace, as it refuses to ostracize those who may be in the minority and ensures that everyone’s voices are heard. The last, but certainly not least, principle that the Iroquois governed by that maintained its peace is the means by which they resolved conflict – not by war, but through mutual respect, negotiation, and collaboration. And even where there is war, it is done in a respectful way: “squaring off against someone about their own size and skill level. There was no honour in besting a weakling or a youth with little practice in the art” (63). To the Iroquois, war is not a weapon or tool; it is a last resort. And the reason that Mann provides as to why they oppose the use of war to resolve disagreements is a moving, yet conflicting one: “‘Look at the strong and beautiful children we’ve both raised. Did we go
Rather than ostracize, punish, and isolate those who stray, as well as the “enemy,” the Iroquois guide others through their own actions, and when the time comes that the “enemy” chooses to leave the darkness and join the “light,” the Iroquois not only extend an invitation, but also provide them a position in their society (61, 63). (While this may not be directly relevant to the prompt, I found this to be a profound and progressive way of thought that is completely opposite to the justice system that we currently have in our society. Rather than rehabilitate and reintroduce those who have made mistakes in their lives, we punish, stigmatize, and marginalize them, making it nearly impossible for them to rejoin society.) It is when those who believe that the political or governing system is not representative of their beliefs that conflicts break out, and it is through preventing these feelings of isolation and marginalization that peace is maintained. This is one of the most important principles of the Iroquois in terms of maintaining peace, as it refuses to ostracize those who may be in the minority and ensures that everyone’s voices are heard. The last, but certainly not least, principle that the Iroquois governed by that maintained its peace is the means by which they resolved conflict – not by war, but through mutual respect, negotiation, and collaboration. And even where there is war, it is done in a respectful way: “squaring off against someone about their own size and skill level. There was no honour in besting a weakling or a youth with little practice in the art” (63). To the Iroquois, war is not a weapon or tool; it is a last resort. And the reason that Mann provides as to why they oppose the use of war to resolve disagreements is a moving, yet conflicting one: “‘Look at the strong and beautiful children we’ve both raised. Did we go