[leoedin]

The education point is interesting. If you grow up as a hunter gatherer, there are powerful forces you don’t understand trying to take resources away from you. If you grow up in a capitalist society, there are powerful forces you don’t understand trying to force all sorts of “resources” on you.

Success in a modern capitalist society is driven in part by your ability to say no to things.

[throwaway2037]

Two things: OP said they were farmers, or peasants if you will. Now you are talking hunter gathers. To me, they are totally different levels of human development.

And, specifically about the few remaining hunter gather tribes in the Amazon, Brazil has a dedicated govt dept to keep these people safe from outside influence. As I understand, they have made great strides in the last 30 years to keep these tribes safe.