The Navajo Nation: The Consequences of Living Between two Forms of Incomplete Governance

Abstract

The Navajo Nation ranks amongst the poorest Reservations. Fundamentally, the Navajo Nation, faces many hurdles stemming from the conundrum of semi-autonomy; and consequently, Federally imposed rules and regulations. Unavoidably, these account for many of the issues that Navajo members and the Navajo government face today. Despite this circumstance, there are things the Navajo government can do in order to improve the socio- economic situation on the Navajo Nation today. This paper utilizes Hirschman's Exit, Voice, Loyalty theory in order to understand the relationship between the government and the people. The data and survey results indicated a significant trend of working class, Navajo members, choosing to leave the Reservation (exit). From the data and surveys it appears that those who are leaving, are doing so primarily in search of employment. In order for the socio-economic situation on the Navajo Nation to improve, the government must first set up a system in which it receives member feedback, then it must find a way to increase sentiments of loyalty as to motivate people to stay, and, third, based on the data, the government needs to improve the job market rapidly. Keywords: Navajo, Governance, Exit, Voice, Economy, Society. Title: The Navajo Nation: The Consequences of Living Between two...