THE EGALITARIANISM MYTHWEEK 9

Aisha Mulligan 17354266

1

THE POST WAR MYTH OF EGALITARIANISM Grieg, Lewins & White (2003) state “If the postwar myth of

egalitarianism was promoted by the idea of the state as a leveller, it was reinforced by cultural policy” (p. 178).

Before WWII Australia remained 95% British and monoculturalism remained the subject of Australian identity.

After WWII demand for industrial labor and the concerns about defence resulted in Australia having to perish or populate.

When attempts failed to immigrate people from Britain, Australia’s Minister for Immigration was forced to loosen the White Australian Policy.

Between 1945 and 1960 there was an increase of 2.6 million immigrants who had arrived in Australia with more than half from non english-speaking backgrounds.

Non-British migrants were expected to uphold the White Australia policy.

(Grieg, Lewins & White, 2003, p. 178)

ASSIMILATION OF ABORIGINES The policy of assimilation requests that all people of Aboriginal

background will choose to act in a similar manner and standard of living to that of other Australians, and live as a single Australian community (LeSueur, 1970, p.8).

Australian colonists assumed that Aboriginal culture would eventually die out.

The active neglect and destruction of Aboriginal culture was often accompanied by segregation practices that moved them to prisons, confinement in missions and reserves and excluded them from the colonial life.

Laws were passed which gave the State the power to remove children. These types of laws created what is now referred to as the ‘stolen generation’.

The consequence of this history is the partial destruction of Aboriginal culture. Aboriginal people face disadvantages and inequality in all areas of social life (Grieg, Lewins & White, 2003, p. 179).

2

THE PROBLEM WITH ASSIMILATION By the late 1960’s there were growing doubts over

whether the assimilation policy was promoting egalitarianism.

The main issue with the policy was that it promoted racism and dehumanised migrants.

Since the 1970’s official government policies have promoted multiculturalism and cultural diversity.

Despite multiculturalism, the British culture is still dominant in Australia and people of high positions come from an Anglo background (Lentin, A, Citizenship & Inequality I, April, 22, 2014).

3 45

HOW ARE WE AFFECTED BY INEQUALITY TODAY? People at the same level of social class, education and

income who are compared to other countries, show that those in more equal societies do better than those in less equal societies.

Social problems such as low educational achievement, unemployment, drug and alcohol abuse are due to inequalities between the rich and the poor.

Education inequality is present for those unable to afford an education and therefore in the long run will receive a lower income.

Income inequality in OECD countries has hit its highest level. The average income of the richest 10% of the population is about nine times that of the poorest 10%.

INEQUALITY? Since 1975 the full-time wages for employees in the fiftieth

percentile have increased 35% after inflation ($43,000 to $58,000). Workers in the tenth percentile have had wages increase 15%

($32,000 to - $37,000). For workers in the ninetieth percentile, their wages have increased

59% ($65,000 to $103,000) From 1993 to 2009 a CEO’s average earning increased from $1

million (17 times their average wage) to $3 million (42 times their average wage

From 1984 to 2012 the richest tripled their share of household wealth from 0.8 to 2.8%

(Leigh, 2013)

6

REFERENCE LIST

Leigh, A. (2013, July, 16). Mind the gap. Battlers and billionaires. Retrieved from http://www.smh.com.au/comment/mind-the-gap-20130716-2q1ce.html

Greig, A., Lewins, F. & White, K. (2003). 8 collective identity, politics and the myth of egalitarianism (pp. 159-187).

LeSueur, E. (1970). Aboriginal Assimilation: An Evaluation of Some Ambiguities in Policy and Services: Australian Journal of Social Work, 23(2), 6-11, doi: 10.1080/03124077008549314

PICTURE REFERENCE LIST BY PICTURE NUMBER

1. This View of Life, http://www.thisviewoflife.com/index.php/magazine/articles/is-inequality-in-our-genes, 2014, May, 24.

2. Right Now, http://rightnow.org.au/topics/children-and-youth/misplaced-pasts-registering-aboriginal-births/, 2014, May, 25.

3. Runner’s World, http://community.runnersworld.com/blog/the-necessity-of-etiquette-andamp-assimilation, 2014, May, 25

4. Freeman-Pedia, https://freeman-pedia.wikispaces.com/Industrial+%26+Global+Integration+(1750-1900+CE), 2014, May 25.

5. Immigration Museum, http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/identity/people-like-them/the-white-picket-fence/timeline/?selected=3, 2014, May, 25

6. The New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/10/business/yourmoney/10view.html?_r=0, 2014, May 17.