8-1 Discussion: Complexity and
Contingency
While Alaska Natives have benefited financially from the Native
corporation system and the Alaska Native Regional Corporations, tribes
have suffered a social loss as a result. The first statement was my pick:
Alaska Natives have benefited from the Native corporation system and
the Alaska Native Regional Corporations (ANCSA). The ANCSA has
benefited both native Alaskans and non-native residents significantly
over the long term. Millions of dollars in annual dividends have been
distributed to individuals in addition to the businesses that provide good
jobs to their employees. The ANCSA gave control to Alaskans through
these corporations, which they could join and use to develop their lands
however they pleased.
The Alaskan people's financial situation improved as a result. However,
in the end, corporations needed help from outside sources to be
managed. Executives from outside the traditional tribal government were
hired to run the multimillion-dollar businesses because traditional tribal
governments lacked the necessary skills. Elders and leaders of tribes
saw a slight decline in their importance and influence. Tribal government
has been replaced by corporate structure.
The passage of the ANCSA was contingent on a number of significant
historical events. The first and most significant of these was how native
people were treated in the past when there were land disputes. In order
to prevent mistakes like the Trail of Tears from happening again, the
federal government wanted to provide native people with a fair deal. The
oil discovery at Prudhome Bay in 1968 occurred simultaneously. A
pipeline on native-controlled land was required to transport this valuable
resource to the lower 48 states. Third contingent event was the signing
of the Alaska Statehood Act in 1959. The act stated that any existing
native Alaskan land claims would not be affected by Alaska becoming a
state. This law added over 100 million acres of public land.
