Stefan Terrazas

Winner, 2024 APA Essay Prize in Latin American Thought—This essay examines Juan Ginés de Sepúlveda's application of the natural slavery argument he borrows from Aristotle and uses to justify the subjection of Indigenous Americans. While much attention has been devoted to the views and legacy of Las Casas, the position taken by Sepúlveda remains disputed. The disagreement centers on whether Sepúlveda advocates for the actual enslavement of Indigenous Americans or, instead, for their forced subjection as serfs. A key aspect to throw light on this interpretive question is re-examining what exactly Sepúlveda meant by “natural” in referring to Indigenous Americans as “natural slaves” or “natural servants,” depending on how we decide to translate the Latin term "natura servi." Another important consideration is whether Sepúlveda believed Indigenous Americans could ever become equals to Spaniards. This essay argues that providing an effective response to this puzzle requires reassessing some of the formulations of the Democrates Secundus (ca. 1544–1545) in light of other related works. An examination of Sepúlveda’s other political writings indicates that he supports their subjection as serfs to secure their religious conversion by and through the acquisition of moral virtue in Aristotelian terms. Moreover, the moral vices that define “barbarians” are neither fixed in nature nor permanently predisposed by the environment.