'Reasonable men' : middle class reformism in Australia, 1928-1939

Abstract

The political and economic instability of the Great Depression period produced many dramatic responses. It also gave rise to new public affairs institutions and the social criticism of middle class moderates who were as disturbed by political conflict and social division as by the evils wreaked by the economic depression. Through such forums as the Australian Institute of Political Science and journals of public affairs and social debate, including the Australian Quarterly, they elaborated their own social critique. Lamenting political Conflict, emotional debate and popular apathy, they declared their belief in the power of rationality and the need for political agreement. Moderate social thinkers, seeing the world in dualistic psychological terms, aspired for rationality and social harmony but feared division and decay. Social critics and more practical students of public affairs developed these themes, in their analyses of Australian society and their public affairs research. Centred mainly in Sydney and Melbourne clusters of thinkers, sharing these beliefs, added particular stresses and offered varying views on the contemporary situation. Their emphases included: the difficulties of social planning; the defence of freedom of thought; education as a force for 'civilization'; a scientific approach to modern problems; the need for government action to remedy social evils; and the possibility of greater degree of national purpose. The social critics and students of public affairs produced a large body of research and their criticisms encouraged movements for social and educational reform. Their endeavours were partly confined to a small section of middle class society and to their own institutional milieu as they retreated from the political arena. Their work also contributed however, to a larger transition in the structure of Australian society. Their thought challenged existing attitudes which thwarted change, their institutions were the precursors of government institutions needed to run a complex modern society, and they were influential in several spheres. Their criticism prepared the ground for the changes accelerated by the engine of war during the 1940s and they were to be part of the new administrative elite in post-war Australia. Show more