Indian Reorganisation (1928-1942) III::

The Indian Reorganisation Act (1934)

The IRA allowed for limited self-determination of Indian peoples. A degree of cultural determination was to be decided by Indians themselves, although within prescribed limits, and with the 'help' of government authority. Economic development was also encouraged. This was done by encouraging Indians to organise along the lines of modern business corporations with systems of financial credit. Technical and educational assistance was provided by the government to achieve these ends.

Theoretically the act allowed for some form of political autonomy of Indian governments. However, in practice such governments were to be modelled on the US system, and traditional forms of government were largely abandoned. Indeed, Shattuck & Norgren (1991:156) have pointed out that the IRA insisted that, "the restoration of tribal resources and self-government would be supported but still as 'transitional devices for the complete assimilation of Indian life into the dominant white society'."¹ Indeed, "the IRA was intended to provide a mechanism for the tribe as a governmental unit to interact with and adapt to a modern society, rather than to force the assimilation of individual Indians" (Cohen 1982:147).²

Every step taken by Indians to self-determine their lives was subject, ultimately, to federal scrutiny. Self-determination was encouraged according to federal more than Indian goals and strategies. At the end of the day, self-determination was subject to strong tribal compliance to administrative policies whose goal was ultimately assimilation. Whereas the allotment period had encouraged forced assimilation of individual Indians, the reorganisation period encouraged assimilation of Indian communities.

Notes::

• 1 - Petra T. Shattuck and Jill Norgren. 1991. Partial Justice: Federal Indian Law in a Liberal Constitutional System. New York: Berg.
• 2 - Felix Cohen. 1982 ed. Handbook of Federal Indian Law. Charlottesville, Virginia: Michie Co., Bobbs-Merrill.