Final answer:
The 'indigenous principle' refers to an approach that values the autonomy and culture of indigenous peoples, suggesting that social improvement follows the embedding of local institutions within communities. It advocates for indigenous self-governance and the preservation of cultural uniqueness, while also allowing for modern benefits in a federalist system.
Step-by-step explanation:
The indigenous principle can best be defined as a policy or approach that emphasizes the autonomy, culture, and rights of indigenous peoples in their own lands. The phrase or sentence that best defines this principle is likely 'c) Social improvement is inevitable once the church has been planted,' which suggests a respect for the existing cultural practices and the idea that positive social changes will organically follow the foundation of a local institution embedded within the community. This principle aligns with a broader respect for indigenous self-determination and the protection of indigenous communal landholdings and ways of life, rejecting the colonial perspective that leadership should remain in the hands of Western missionaries.
Moreover, Indigenism recognizes the significance of indigenous philosophies and ways of living, which have evolved to respect the natural environment and are often ecologically sustainable. This principle is opposed to the idea of dominion over and exploitation of land that was characteristic of European colonizers' approach to land ownership. The indigenous principle instead promotes practices that enable communities to self-govern and preserve their cultural uniqueness while benefiting from modern advancements where appropriate, under a federalist system that supports local autonomy.