The Iroquois Confederacy is partly at the origin of American federalism.

Hello everyone,

The APROFED association is coming back to you this weekend, in order to continue its reflection of April 2nd according to which the federal system is partly derived from the tribal model (see The federal system: the logical continuity of the tribal and feudal model – APROFED ).

Many people are unaware that American federalism was partially influenced by the political functioning of certain Native American tribes , notably the Iroquois Confederation (also called the League of Five Nations , then the Six Nations ). This influence is recognized by several historians and researchers.

Indeed, the Iroquois had an alliance between several nations (Mohawks, Onondagas, Senecas, Oneidas, Cayugas, and then the Tuscaroras) that operated in a federal manner , each nation retaining its autonomy while participating in a common council for intertribal affairs. This model of shared sovereignty and collective decision-making attracted the attention of Enlightenment thinkers and some American Founding Fathers.

Benjamin Franklin, Founding Father of the United States, attended Iroquois councils and admired their political organization . He suggested that if “savages” could unite in this way, the British colonies should be able to do so as well. He contributed to the Albany Plan of Union (1754), which proposed a form of union among the colonies, partly inspired by the Iroquois model.

Although the American Constitution was primarily inspired by European traditions (English law, philosophers like Locke and Montesquieu), the Iroquois model played an inspirational role.

In 1988, a U.S. Congressional resolution (Senate Concurrent Resolution 76) officially recognized that the United States Constitution was influenced by Iroquois principles of government.

Below is a summary diagram of comparisons between the Iroquois Confederacy and the American federal system , which shows how Native American political structures may have influenced the founders of the United States:

It remains to be seen whether the Kanaks will play the same role vis-à-vis France as the Iroquois did for the United States, by leading the latter to evolve towards a federal system, to the extent that the transition of New Caledonia into a federated state would de facto lead other regions, both overseas and metropolitan, such as Corsica, Brittany, etc., to demand the same status (see “New Caledonia, Corsica… centralization has shown its limits!” ; What institutional changes for a possible autonomy of Corsica? ) making France a federal state.

It also remains to be seen whether the leaders at the top of the French state are ready for this, which does not yet seem to be the case (see Corsica, New Caledonia… Emmanuel Macron entangled in the different lines of his government )

We wish you a good read and remind you that federalism is the only solution to reconcile unity in diversity.

The APROFED association