The Debate Between Las Casas And Sepulveda Focused On

Sepulveda continued as a spokesman for the encomienda system of slavery in new spain while las casas became known as the defender of indians.

The debate between las casas and sepulveda focused on. Las casas was the accuser while sepülveda stood as the representative of the encomenderos which made him the principal defender of spain s presence in and exploitation of the new world. Their debate at the council of valladolid 1550 51 exposed stark differences in their opinions of spanish responsibility to the natives. The terms of the discussion were highly academic and theoretical and did not deal with native culture in its own context. Where las casas argued that the indians were inherently good sepulveda presumed that they were barbaric and barely human.

His position found some support from the monarchy which wanted to control the power of the encomenderos. Las casas represented one side of the debate. The king charged bartolome de las casas and juan sepulveda to debate in the spanish court. The debates at valladolid in 1550 51 between las casas and sepulveda arguing their conceptions of the human can shed light on how and why arguments for inequality creep back into the modern discourse on alterity.

Representing the other side was juan ginés de sepúlveda whose arguments were used as support by colonists and landowners who benefited from the system. Las casas saw no end to spanish conquest sepulveda did not see the encomienda system strengthen as las casas continued to be a defender of the indians. The great debate ended in 1551. Moreover the indians were never included in the debate.

Sepulveda was adamant that the only option was to continue the encomienda system and that this would bring stability as well as the eventual proselytization of the indies. If the advocates for the encomienda system won then that system would continue to be reinforced but if people who spoke out against it won then the encomienda system would start to be dismantled. Sepulveda believed the amerindians were barbarians who required brute force to convert them to christianity. Gines de sepulveda chronicler to the emperor our lord in which.

Las casas defended them realizing the amerindians were human and disserved gentle persuasion and reasoning in order for such a conversion to occur. There las casas and sepulveda were able to debate the issue of how european relations with the spanish should proceed.