The Political Economy of the Nephites

Power was the most crucial theme in Book of Mormon history. The rivalry of Lamanites and Nephites began and ended as a fight over who should and would control Lehi's people. To grasp the bases of power, and thus of the nature of the conflicts that pervade Mormon's record, is necessary if we are to understand the lessons it holds for us. For us to grasp "what great things the Lord hath done" (Title Page) for the people of that book, we will find it necessary to come to a deeper understanding of why their history took the course it did. Only in the light of that deeper understanding will we be capable of fully appreciating the religious elements ("doctrine") that informed and resulted from their historical course.