Shannon M. Mussett, “Hegel on the Genocide of Indigenous Americans”
G. W. F. Hegel’s treatment of Africa as the unhistorical continent has received much well-deserved critical engagement. American Indians however, barely warrant Hegel’s consideration. Twice, in the Philosophy of History alone,Hegel notes that these physically and spiritually inferior people have “gone under” (untergehen) (or have nearly done so) in the face of the European wind that arrived on their shores, effectively white-washing the violence this European sense of “destiny” brought upon the New World. In the Philosophy of Mind, Hegel calls them “a vanishing, feeble race” noting that “the natives of America are, therefore, clearly not in a position to maintain themselves in face of the Europeans” (Hegel, Mind, 45). Even the civilizations of Mexico and Peru “expire” as soon as spirit approaches them because “America has always shown itself to be physically and psychically powerless and still shows itself so” (Hegel, History, 81).
Although his mention of indigenous Americans and Polynesians is astonishingly abbreviated, this paper explores the significance of their placement in the trajectory of spirit. I trace out ways in which nature and spirit conspire in Hegel’s philosophy not only to dismiss indigenous cultures from contribution to world history, but also to justify their annihilation in spirit’s onward march through the new world. The cavalier approach to the conquering and colonization of the Americas forms part of a historical legacy that continues to reverberate in contemporary exclusions and violence done to indigenous peoples, thus meriting continued investigation so as to bring these lingering effects to light.