The making of White Australia: Ruling class agendas, 1876-1888

Date

2006

Authors

Griffiths, Philip Gavin

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Abstract

This thesis argues that the colonial ruling class developed its first White Australia policy in 1888, creating most of the precedents for the federal legislation of 1901. White Australia was central to the making of the Australian working class, to the shaping of Australian nationalism, and the development of federal political institutions. It has long been understood as a product of labour movement mobilising, but this thesis rejects that approach, arguing that the labour movement lacked the power to impose such a fundamental national policy, and that the key decisions which led to White Australia were demonstrably not products of labour movement action. ¶ It finds three great ruling class agendas behind the decisions to exclude Chinese immigrants, and severely limit the use of indentured “coloured labour”. ...

Description

Keywords

White Australia Policy, racism, Australia, Marxism, colonial, settler state, Parkes, Griffith, McIlwraith, Chinese, immigration, slavery, unfree labour, Pacific Islanders, Kanakas, coolies, indentured labour, conservative, liberal, Queensland, New South Wales, NSW, South Australia, imperialism

Citation

Source

Type

Thesis (PhD)

Book Title

Entity type

Access Statement

License Rights

Restricted until

Back to topicon-arrow-up-solid
 
APRU
IARU
 
edX
Group of Eight Member

Acknowledgement of Country

The Australian National University acknowledges, celebrates and pays our respects to the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people of the Canberra region and to all First Nations Australians on whose traditional lands we meet and work, and whose cultures are among the oldest continuing cultures in human history.


Contact ANUCopyrightDisclaimerPrivacyFreedom of Information

+61 2 6125 5111 The Australian National University, Canberra

TEQSA Provider ID: PRV12002 (Australian University) CRICOS Provider Code: 00120C ABN: 52 234 063 906