Module 3: A Sense of Involvement

Announcements

Proposal due Tuesday 25 March

Proposal cover sheets – collect in tutes or from our front desk

Announcements

On the blue cover sheet, you must state your student number correctly – 10 digits, no numbers to begin with D or Q

You must also state your tutor’s name (P Kitley, A Allen, Betty Adcock)

Overview of today’s work

First part of the lecture: The 1850s and Australia’s involvement

with Asian immigrants

Second part of the lecture: Australia’s involvement with Asia in the

post World War II period

Module Objectives

Have a look at page 3.1 in your Study Book

The objectives listed there let you know what you have to be able to do after studying Module 3

Objective 1: ‘after successfully completing this module, you should be able to explain the reaction of the European community to Asian immigration in the 19th century.’

Our first question …

Why were European Australians hostile to Asian immigrants in the 1880’s?

19th Century Immigration to the Australian Colonies

Once the supply of convicts transported to Australia ceased around 1840, the colonies depended on immigrant labour

Wages and conditions were fairly good Worker’s organisations feared Asian

migrants would undercut wages and conditions

Who Were the Preferred Migrants?

Opposition to Asian and Pacific Islander labour was based on economic factors (wages, jobs) in the first place

Opposition was also based on racial issues: the colonies saw themselves as outposts of the British empire, and did not want to be swamped by Asians

The Effect of the Goldrush

Discovery of gold in Victoria in the 1850s brought great changes to the state

The population rose dramatically from 76,000 in 1850 to 538,000 in 1860 - a rise of 700%!

Origin of Immigrants

Source Country Migrant Numbers

England 100,000

Ireland 60,000

Scotland 50,000

Wales 4,000

Total 214,000

Origin of Immigrants

Source Country Migrant Numbers

France 1,500

Other European 3,500

United States 3,000

Overseas British 3,500

India 300

China 50,000

Origin of Immigrants in Order of Magnitude

Source Country Total Immigrants England 100,000 Ireland 60,000 Scotland/China 50,000

What was the Basis of Anti-Chinese Sentiment?

Was it a matter of numbers? Was it Chinese miners’ behaviour? Was it of their beliefs? Was it a racial issue?

Let’s consider each factor in turn

Explaining Anti-Chinese Sentiment

NumbersBehaviourBeliefsRace

A definition of racism

Racism is the belief in the inferiority of other races, and the damming of other persons of different racial origins solely on the basis of their inherited, unalterable physical characteristics.

Restricting Immigration by Law

By 1888, laws in all Australian colonies restricted coloured immigrants and kanakas (Pacific Islanders)

Restricting Immigration by Law

With Federation in 1901, The Pacific Islanders Labour Act and the Immigration Restriction Act restricted immigration using the “dictation test” criterion

Summary: Asian Immigration in 19th Century Australia

In the 19th century, Asian immigrants were discriminated against on the basis of their racial characteristics.

At the heart of this discrimination was the settlers’ desire to establish Australia as an outpost of the British Empire

Part 2 of the lecture

Australia’s involvement with Asia in the post World War II period

Part 2 Overview

We will look at Australia’s new interest in Asia and the Pacific after 1945

We want to be able to explain Australia’s reaction to nationalist and communist movements in the region after 1945

We want to look at strengths and weaknesses in Australian foreign policy after 1945

Regional Relations After 1945

Since 1945, Australia has been drawn into closer involvement with the people and nations of the Asia Pacific.

Involvement has not always been positive: it has involved armed conflict

Prime Minister Curtin’s 1941 Statement

“… Australia looks to America …”

“… we shall exert all our energies towards shaping of a plan, with the United States as its keystone …”

Australia Supports the United Nations

In 1945 Australia supported the creation of a new international body - the United Nations

An Australian, Dr Bert Evans became the first Chairperson of the UN General Assembly

The UN, Indonesia and Australia

On 17 August, 1945 Indonesia declared independence from its Dutch colonial masters

The Australian Labor government supported independent Indonesia and represented its case in the UN

Effect of the Cold War on Australia’s Regional Involvement Labor Party lost election in 1949 Liberal Coalition governed from 1949-1972 The coalition was strongly anti-communist Coalition rule had a profound effect on

Australia’s regional relations

Fear of Communism Involved Australia in Regional Wars

in Malaya in the 1950s in Korea in 1950-53 in Vietnam 1962-72

Two Sides to the Story of Australia’s Involvement in the Vietnam war

One view : Australia was pressured to join the conflict by the excessively anti-communist policies of the Coalition

Australia was pressured to join the conflict by the United States

Another view: the first point is probably correct

the second is not. Australia projected itself into the conflict

Fear of Communism Involved Australia in Regional Diplomacy The Colombo Plan,

1950 The ANZUS Treaty,

1951 The SEATO

Agreement 1954

Changing Policy Settings …..

1967: Nixon’s “Guam doctrine” 1971 Whitlam’s Beijing visit Kissinger’s visit to Beijing (the day the Whitlam

party left Beijing) wrong footed the Coalition December 1972 Labor elected to government The Australian government “recognised” the

government of the People’s Republic of China

Reviewing module objectives

What have I achieved today? I can discuss Australia’s involvement

with Asian immigrants in the 1850s I can discuss Australia’s involvement

with Asia in the post World War II period