- 08 Aug 2005 05:16
#693658
I received 22.5/25 also for this essay. Feedback would be appreciated.
The concept of White Australia played a major role in the formation of the nation’s identity leading up to and following Federation in 1901. The ideas of an ethnically homogenous society and Anglo-Australian racial superiority were continually present in the last quarter of the 19th century in Australia. This was evident from media publications such as The Bulletin, in literature from writers such as Henry Lawson, in the strong anti-Chinese rhetoric from the growing labour movement and from many other areas of Australian life. However, to simply claim the concept of White Australia as the only basis for the development of Australia’s national identity would be a grave mistake to make. Although the notion of a White Australia was omnipresent in all facets of society; other concepts and ideals helped facilitate the formation of the Australian realization of nationhood.
The Australian landscape itself was one major feature that aided the formation of a national identity. A vast, open land, isolated from the rest of the British Empire – from the rest of the world, was a daunting image for the colonial member of society in the late 1800s. Many Australians still felt very British, and the land itself was completely alien to the European-styled pastures of Britain. However, soon, the population utilized the landscape and the bush in particular to characterize themselves and set them apart from other peoples. This was helped by the legends of the bushmen presented in The Bulletin, the self proclaimed “bushmen’s bible†from writers such as ‘Banjo’ Paterson and Henry Lawson. The works of artists such as Tom Roberts and Frederick McCubbins also aided in the formation of a national identity surrounding the Australian landscape. They created ground-breaking works romanticizing the Australian bush, where artists before them had always attempted to transplant the look of Europe onto the landscape of the great southern land. Everyday images of the bush became legend, from the stockman to the working class shearer, and helped form an affinity with the land which the people occupied.
The working class themselves had a major role to play in the formation of an Australian national identity. While the labour movement of the late 1800s was vehemently opposed to non-European immigration and wholeheartedly supported the concept of a White Australia, it was characterized not only by this. The Australian labour movement saw itself as a pioneering force. The concept of Australia as a “working man’s paradise†was being realised on a global scale and the movement wished to maintain this prestige. The labour movement, apart from such groups as the Australian Natives Association would arguably have to have been one of the strongest movements in Australia that supported the concept of a completely white society. However, it was not simply the idea of Anglo-Australian racial superiority that facilitated unanimous support for anti-immigration policies. The threat to employment opportunities and working conditions from an influx of non-European labour threatened the new concept of an egalitarian way of life for workers in the new land.
The notion of egalitarianism and a ‘fair go’ for all separated Australia from the Old World realities of monarchical rule and class division apparent in Europe. This egalitarian concept played a major role in the realization of Australian national identity and it could be argued that beside the belief of a White Australia stood egalitarianism at the forefront of concepts that formed the new nation’s character. In the years leading up to Federation, an egalitarian belief of free enterprise was apparent from many walks of life, even from opposing political forces in the forms of Protectionists and Free Traders. Alfred Deakin was a staunch supporter of such theory, emphasizing that a non-federated Australia would be “hampered in commerce, restricted in influence [and] weakened in prestige.†A federated nation was necessary for the full realization of egalitarian ideals of free enterprise and this tied with the ideals of political equality also present in the colonies. Australia was a leading country in the world in terms of political freedoms, being both one of the first nations with universal male suffrage and also of the right for women to vote. Such democratic values were the electoral realization of the concept of egalitarianism that would ensure the nation was ruled by those who would represent the people proficiently and fairly.
Alfred Deakin claimed that “the unity of Australia is nothing if that does not imply a united raceâ€. This statement, in full support of the concept of an ethnically homogenous nation held true to the wider community of Australia at the time leading up to and following Federation. The Australian national identity was characterized distinctly by the concept of a White Australia. However, it was this idea, combined with theories of social and political egalitarianism as well as an affinity to the unique land which was inhabited that ultimately formed the early identity of the Australian nation.
The concept of White Australia played a major role in the formation of the nation’s identity leading up to and following Federation in 1901. The ideas of an ethnically homogenous society and Anglo-Australian racial superiority were continually present in the last quarter of the 19th century in Australia. This was evident from media publications such as The Bulletin, in literature from writers such as Henry Lawson, in the strong anti-Chinese rhetoric from the growing labour movement and from many other areas of Australian life. However, to simply claim the concept of White Australia as the only basis for the development of Australia’s national identity would be a grave mistake to make. Although the notion of a White Australia was omnipresent in all facets of society; other concepts and ideals helped facilitate the formation of the Australian realization of nationhood.
The Australian landscape itself was one major feature that aided the formation of a national identity. A vast, open land, isolated from the rest of the British Empire – from the rest of the world, was a daunting image for the colonial member of society in the late 1800s. Many Australians still felt very British, and the land itself was completely alien to the European-styled pastures of Britain. However, soon, the population utilized the landscape and the bush in particular to characterize themselves and set them apart from other peoples. This was helped by the legends of the bushmen presented in The Bulletin, the self proclaimed “bushmen’s bible†from writers such as ‘Banjo’ Paterson and Henry Lawson. The works of artists such as Tom Roberts and Frederick McCubbins also aided in the formation of a national identity surrounding the Australian landscape. They created ground-breaking works romanticizing the Australian bush, where artists before them had always attempted to transplant the look of Europe onto the landscape of the great southern land. Everyday images of the bush became legend, from the stockman to the working class shearer, and helped form an affinity with the land which the people occupied.
The working class themselves had a major role to play in the formation of an Australian national identity. While the labour movement of the late 1800s was vehemently opposed to non-European immigration and wholeheartedly supported the concept of a White Australia, it was characterized not only by this. The Australian labour movement saw itself as a pioneering force. The concept of Australia as a “working man’s paradise†was being realised on a global scale and the movement wished to maintain this prestige. The labour movement, apart from such groups as the Australian Natives Association would arguably have to have been one of the strongest movements in Australia that supported the concept of a completely white society. However, it was not simply the idea of Anglo-Australian racial superiority that facilitated unanimous support for anti-immigration policies. The threat to employment opportunities and working conditions from an influx of non-European labour threatened the new concept of an egalitarian way of life for workers in the new land.
The notion of egalitarianism and a ‘fair go’ for all separated Australia from the Old World realities of monarchical rule and class division apparent in Europe. This egalitarian concept played a major role in the realization of Australian national identity and it could be argued that beside the belief of a White Australia stood egalitarianism at the forefront of concepts that formed the new nation’s character. In the years leading up to Federation, an egalitarian belief of free enterprise was apparent from many walks of life, even from opposing political forces in the forms of Protectionists and Free Traders. Alfred Deakin was a staunch supporter of such theory, emphasizing that a non-federated Australia would be “hampered in commerce, restricted in influence [and] weakened in prestige.†A federated nation was necessary for the full realization of egalitarian ideals of free enterprise and this tied with the ideals of political equality also present in the colonies. Australia was a leading country in the world in terms of political freedoms, being both one of the first nations with universal male suffrage and also of the right for women to vote. Such democratic values were the electoral realization of the concept of egalitarianism that would ensure the nation was ruled by those who would represent the people proficiently and fairly.
Alfred Deakin claimed that “the unity of Australia is nothing if that does not imply a united raceâ€. This statement, in full support of the concept of an ethnically homogenous nation held true to the wider community of Australia at the time leading up to and following Federation. The Australian national identity was characterized distinctly by the concept of a White Australia. However, it was this idea, combined with theories of social and political egalitarianism as well as an affinity to the unique land which was inhabited that ultimately formed the early identity of the Australian nation.
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