Ash Center logo

Additional Resource  

American Indian Self-Determination Through Self-Governance: The Only Policy That Has Ever Worked

“The onset of tribal self-determination through self-government in the late 1980s ushered in the only policy that has ever worked to improve economic and social conditions in Indian Country.”

By:

Programs

Project on Indigenous Governance and Development

Issues

Indigenous Governance

Download the PDF

In testimony before the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children on December 15, 2022, Joseph Kalt, Ford Foundation Professor of International Political Economy, Emeritus testified about the importance that American Indian self-determination has played in helping spark a remarkable period of economic growth across a broad swath of Indian Country.

Kalt, who serves as the co-director of the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development at Harvard Kennedy School delivered a detailed set of findings outlining how the expansion of the responsibilities and capacities of tribal governments have resulted in a remarkable period of economic growth over the past thirty years. “The onset of tribal self-determination through self-government in the late 1980s ushered in the only policy that has ever worked to improve economic and social conditions in Indian Country,” said Kalt in his remarks before the commission.

 

More from this Program

Chief Sophie Pierre On Being The First: Bridging the Past, Present, and Future of the Ktunaxa Nation
Chief Sophie Pierre standing.

Feature

Chief Sophie Pierre On Being The First: Bridging the Past, Present, and Future of the Ktunaxa Nation

Chief Sophie Pierre, a respected leader of the Ktunaxa Nation, has been named the Inaugural Senior Fellow in Indigenous Governance and Development at Harvard Kennedy School, starting in Spring 2025. Known for her groundbreaking work in governance, economic development, and cultural preservation, Pierre’s career has spanned over three decades, with significant contributions to Indigenous rights and self-determination. Her appointment to Harvard is a testament to her decades of leadership, resilience, and dedication to empowering future generations of Indigenous leaders.

More on this Issue

Chief Sophie Pierre On Being The First: Bridging the Past, Present, and Future of the Ktunaxa Nation
Chief Sophie Pierre standing.

Feature

Chief Sophie Pierre On Being The First: Bridging the Past, Present, and Future of the Ktunaxa Nation

Chief Sophie Pierre, a respected leader of the Ktunaxa Nation, has been named the Inaugural Senior Fellow in Indigenous Governance and Development at Harvard Kennedy School, starting in Spring 2025. Known for her groundbreaking work in governance, economic development, and cultural preservation, Pierre’s career has spanned over three decades, with significant contributions to Indigenous rights and self-determination. Her appointment to Harvard is a testament to her decades of leadership, resilience, and dedication to empowering future generations of Indigenous leaders.

Self-Government, Taxation, and Tribal Development: The Critical Role of American Indian Nation Business Enterprises
Figure 1: Growth in Real (inflation-adjusted) Per Capita Income: Indian Country v. the U.S. as a Whole (1989=100)

Policy Brief

Self-Government, Taxation, and Tribal Development: The Critical Role of American Indian Nation Business Enterprises

This policy brief analyzes the likely effects of newly Proposed Rules by the U.S. Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service. These Rules would (1) expand the governmental authority of federally recognized American Indian nations to design programs for the general welfare of their citizens, and (2) clarify the federal tax status of tribal government-owned enterprises. The study finds that adoption of the Proposed Rules would greatly strengthen the capacities of tribal governments, to the benefit of tribes and the United States as a whole.