In debates over the proper conduct and treatment of the indigenous people of the western hemisphere, Juan Ginés de Sepúlveda asserted that:

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Juan Ginés de Sepúlveda believed that the Spanish had a right and duty to subjugate natives since they were natural slaves. He argued that the native people were uncivilized and lacked reason or the capacity for self-government, thus justifying their subjugation by the Spanish. This position was known as the "just war" theory and was used to justify European colonization and exploitation of indigenous populations.

In Debates Over the Proper Conduct and Treatment of the Indigenous