Dances with dependency : out of poverty through self-reliance

Helin, Calvin 1959- (author.).

Summary: Dances with Dependency offers effective strategies to eliminate welfare dependency and help eradicate poverty among indigenous populations. Beginning with an impassioned and insightful portrait of today’s native communities, it connects the prevailing impoverishment and despair directly to a “dependency mindset” forged by welfare economics. To reframe this debilitating mindset, it advocates policy reform in conjunction with a return to native peoples’ 10,000-year tradition of self-reliance based on personal responsibility and cultural awareness. Author Calvin Helin, un-tethered to agendas of political correctness or partisan politics, describes the mounting crisis as an impending demographic tsunami threatening both the United States and Canada. In the United States, where government entitlement programs for diverse ethnic minorities coexist with an already huge national debt, he shows how prosperity is obviously at stake. This looming demographic tidal wave viewed constructively, however, can become an opportunity for reform—among not only indigenous peoples of North America but any impoverished population struggling with dependency in inner cities, developing nations, and post-totalitarian countries.

Record details

ISBN: 1932824073
ISBN: 9781932824070
Physical Description: 313 pages : illustrations (chiefly color), portraits ; 24 cm
print
Edition: First U.S. edition.
Publisher: Woodland Hills, California : Ravencrest Publishing, 2008.
Copyright: ©2006.

Content descriptions

General Note:	New April 2014. "The original edition of this book, titled Dances with dependency: indigenous success through self-reliance, was published in 2006." -- title verso
Bibliography, etc. Note:	Includes bibliographical references (p. 295-308) and index.
Formatted Contents Note:	Introduction: I had a dream...: Background -- A front row seat -- Responding to a challenge -- The raven's call -- Courage to face the unpleasant -- Demographic tsunami: Major problem or urgent opportunity? -- The looming crisis no one knows about: The demographic tsunami -- Opposing demographic trends -- The American demographic tsunami -- Implications of demographic trends: The economic bomb -- A clear message to Aboriginal leaders -- The urgent need for Aboriginal labor -- Summary of fiscal impact -- Impact on taxpayers: The demographic tsunami -- A wake-up call for America -- A first and second wave: From self-reliance to colonialism -- The first wave: Indigenous development prior to contact: Aboriginal existence prior to European contact: 9,600 year canoe journey: Populations and social structures maintained by natural resources; Political institutions; Social structure; Philosophical and spiritual views; Indigenous economies -- Lessons from Aboriginal ancestors: Self-reliance, self-discipline and leadership; Mindset or attitude; Cultural cooperation or synchronization -- The second wave: At sea in the colonial storm: Impact of contact: Colonization; The law as the tool for colonial demands; Achieving "social reform" through law and policy; Residential schools; Disease -- Impacts of the third wave: Cultures and communities in disarray -- Social impacts of the welfare trap: General -- A government history of encouraging dependency -- Why so many social pathologies? Impact on youth and women -- Impacts on general Aboriginal population -- A looming American crisis -- External expressions of internalized dependency: Culture of expectancy -- Free money? Lottery winners without the windfall -- From interdependence to utter nonsense -- Indian crabs: the phenomenon of lateral violence -- The American dream? -- Economic impacts of the welfare trap: "Shaman economics" and economic isolation -- Federal tunnel vision -- Copying a bad precedent -- No market, no risk, no attention -- Economic decision-making with third party money -- The welfare trap and political pathologies: The state of Aboriginal democracy -- A rising call for governance reform -- Aboriginal elites and government lateral violence -- Corruption, nepotism, and abuse of power -- Mismanagement -- The Indian "misery" industry -- The fourth wave: A way out of the storm -- From grievance to development mode: An agenda for action: Asking the right question -- The Aboriginal starting point: Moving forward from a realistic position -- Economic integration -- An agenda for action -- Dual strategies: Communities vs. urban populations -- Wai wah, America -- The opportunity: The booming and growing Aboriginal business sector -- Resource development a major driver -- Aboriginal asset base and leverage: Land; Cash; Labor force; Development leverage over traditional territories: Consultation and accommodation requirements -- Building capacity through government procurement and private sector set-asides and preference buying: Government; Private sector minority supplier diversity programs -- Barriers to Aboriginal economic development...and the way forward: Inherent barriers -- Systemic barriers -- Creating an attractive development framework: Importance of local control (sovereignty) and stability; Reform is in the works -- The role of education in building sustainable economies: General -- Developing a strategic economic plan and a focused education policy -- Current status of Aboriginal education -- Building on models and innovation -- Economic models to build on: An international perspective: New Zealand Maroi; Alaska's Native Americans; Mississipi Choctaws -- Community and corporate models in Canada: A win/win standard: Northeastern Alberta Aboriginal business association; Memertou First Nation; Osoyoos Indian band; Corporate leadership: Examples of ATCO group and Akita drilling ltd. -- The way forward for urban Aboriginals: Overview: Limited financial resources -- Strangers in a strange land -- Addressing the problems: Retaining the connection to home communities -- Education and training: Elementary and secondary; Post-secondary -- The way forward for urban Aboriginals cont'd.: Housing; Political voice -- Making up for lost time: A way forward for America -- End notes -- Bibliography -- Index -- List of artworks.