The Silken Cord: Contemporaneous 20th Century Prime Ministerial Biography in Australia & Its Meaning

Abstract

Political biography as political intervention is explored in this thesis: biography as action rather than as passive publication. This idea is investigated through contemporaneous political biography in twentieth century Australia — specifically, biographies written in the lead up to, or during, the active political careers of Australia's prime ministers from Barton to Howard. Australia had 25 prime ministers in this first century of Federation, but only 17 contemporaneous biographies of them were written and published. Three-quarters of these were written in the post-war period, and half were written in the 20th century's final two decades. Most were written by journalists. Given that perceptions of politicians influence their electability, and that biography can influence perceptions, this is a highly prospective area for testing the idea of biography as action — in this case, as political intervention. Here the metaphor of biography as a silken cord composed of several strands — historical, philosophical, psychological and political — can be seen to operate with specific application. The silken cord of biography slips on easily because of its familiar form; it is capable of dragging a politician's reputation up or down and may even be designed to hang them. While the biographer makes the cord, someone else may be holding onto it or subsequently seize it for their own ends. Of the 17 contemporaneous biographies examined here, the majority were found to promote or burnish the subject's standing - the silken cord lifting the subject up. One biography unequivocally sought to diminish the subject's standing - the silken cord dragging them down. This thesis takes perceptions of biography from a simplistic 'authorised/unauthorised' binary to a more nuanced exposition of its character and dynamics.