Join Us in France · Sunday, September 6, 2026
Remarkably for his time, Lapérouse expressed in his writings a belief in cultural exchange rather than imposing European ways on other civilizations. He believed it was better to let people live in the harmony of their own culture.
“I do not believe that it is necessarily a wonderful thing for peoples of other civilizations to have European ways forced upon them, that European culture or religion should be what they have to do, that it is better to have an exchange with people and let them live their lives in the harmony of their culture.”
“This is remarkable, absolutely remarkable. People didn't think like that very much. They really did not think like that. European explorers did not think like that very much, yeah.”