2. 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)
3. 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
4. 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 4
5
5. 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%.
6. 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
7. 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
8. 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+(175
0-1900+CE), 2014, May 25.
5. Immigration Museum,
http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycen
tre/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/10vie
w.html?_r=0, 2014, May 17.
Editor's Notes
Despite the increase of non-British migrants coming into Australia, there was a great amount of effort made to keep Australia’a cultural purity and maintain the identity of a “white Australia”. This was done so by the policy of assimilation. The non-British migrants were expected to simply blend into the Australian society and eventually forget their own culture and background. However, assimilation did not just effect the non-British people, but also the Aboriginal Australians. They too also had to abide by the policy of assimilation (Grieg, Lewins & White, 2003, p. 178).
Throughout the assimilation period Commonwealth legislation supported discrimination against the Aboriginal people. Inequality was seen through such areas as voting rights, wage entitlements and social security eligibility. Indeed it was not until 1967 that they were finally granted citizenship and the right to vote. The year prior, the Commonwealth extended social security eligibility to Indigenous Australians. It wasn’t until 1967 that they were also included in population statistics. This was a start however; much greater efforts were still needed to address the profound economic, educational, social and health inequalities facing Aboriginals. The egalitarianism myth continues to exist.
From these results we can see inequality at its finest. Leigh (2013) notes relative poverty has increased in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. Most people are pacing along on an average wage. However, the wealthy are speeding away from the average person. Leigh (2013) found that because wealth is rising at the top, inequality is increasing within the rich list. The top quarter held 60% of rich-list wealth during the 1980s however they now hold more than 70%.
