Mosiah 10

As we read the history of Zeniff and his people, we learn a great deal about the nature of people and how it is apparently the same today. The first thing we learn is that a righteous and religious people are generally more industrious and prosperous where an an unrighteous people tends to be more lazy, more dependent upon others, blameful, hateful, and envious. As Zeniff was over-zealous to again obtain the land of Nephi, Zeniff confesses -

"...I went again with four of my men into the city, in unto the king, that I might know of the disposition of the king, and that I might know if I might go in with my people and possess the land in peace.
6 And I went in unto the king, and he covenanted with me that I might possess the land of Lehi-Nephi, and the land of Shilom." (Book of Mormon | Mosiah 9:5 - 6)

Though we receive no detail of what the deal was where Laman was willing to give Zeniff and his people this land, we soon learn Laman's deceptive motive that -

"...it was the cunning and the craftiness of king Laman, to bring my people into bondage, that he yielded up the land that we might possess it." (Book of Mormon | Mosiah 9:10)

Obviously, very little "transparency". But as a righteous people, Zeniff records -

"...we began to till the ground, yea, even with all manner of seeds, with seeds of corn, and of wheat, and of barley, and with neas, and with sheum, and with seeds of all manner of fruits; and we did begin to multiply and prosper in the land." (Book of Mormon | Mosiah 9:9)

We learn of the Lamanites that -

"...they were a lazy and an idolatrous people; therefore they were desirous to bring us into bondage, that they might glut themselves with the labors of our hands; yea, that they might feast themselves upon the flocks of our fields." (Book of Mormon | Mosiah 9:12)

It is then that we learn a little bit more about the Lamanites in that they were very envious and considered themselves an oppressed people and therefore were entitled to take from the prosperous because of -

"...believing in the tradition of their fathers, which is this—Believing that they were driven out of the land of Jerusalem because of the iniquities of their fathers, and that they were wronged in the wilderness by their brethren, and they were also wronged while crossing the sea;
13 And again, that they were wronged while in the land of their first inheritance, after they had crossed the sea, and all this because that Nephi was more faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord—therefore he was favored of the Lord, for the Lord heard his prayers and answered them, and he took the lead of their journey in the wilderness.
14 And his brethren were wroth with him because they understood not the dealings of the Lord; they were also wroth with him upon the waters because they hardened their hearts against the Lord.
15 And again, they were wroth with him when they had arrived in the promised land, because they said that he had taken the ruling of the people out of their hands; and they sought to kill him.
16 And again, they were wroth with him because he departed into the wilderness as the Lord had commanded him, and took the records which were engraven on the plates of brass, for they said that he robbed them.
17 And thus they have taught their children that they should hate them, and that they should murder them, and that they should rob and plunder them, and do all they could to destroy them; therefore they have an eternal hatred towards the children of Nephi." (Book of Mormon | Mosiah 10:12 - 17)

And because of this attitude and belief, Zeniff records -

"For this very cause has king Laman, by his cunning, and lying craftiness, and his fair promises, deceived me, that I have brought this my people up into this land, that they may destroy them; yea, and we have suffered these many years in the land." (Book of Mormon | Mosiah 10:18)

I couldn't help but note that because of envy and this false sense of oppression that king Lamn used the concept of "fair promises" to deceive.

It is apparent that somethings never change.