Page 9. P & E Organizations - Additional Reading Economic Organization

In general, traditional First Nations, Métis, and Inuit worldviews led to economic systems that stressed self-reliance, thoughtful use of resources and sharing through family networks.  Everyone contributed and was in turn taken care of in a system of mutual support.

These economic systems are distinctly different from capitalist and communist systems because their worldviews saw a fundamentally different relationship between humans and the planet.

Through their education, First Nations, Métis and Inuit people learned that the Creator and the natural world supply everything needed for life. This provision is not without restriction – all things in nature (plants, animals, mountains, and streams) are equal to humans and must be respected as such.  Demand for the earth’s resources must, therefore, be modest and according to need.