Australia, the Recreational Society

Subjects:

• Political Science » Comparative Politics
• Multicultural Studies » Oceania Studies

Reviews:

• Mosler (economics, Univ. of Adelaide), an American who has lived in Australia for 30 years, believes that his adopted country's dedication to pleasure and hedonism has resulted in "a propensity to political and cultural adolescence," to "a kind of anti-nationalism," clearly demonstrated in the defeat of the Republic Referendum in 1999. Aussies are united only by their devotion to leisure time, sports, gambling, "barbies," drinking, and lighthearted socializing. They do not know their history; "to care about it is to be un-Australian." "Australia Day," not even celebrated on the same date throughout the country, provides "just another excuse for having a bit of fun." Anti-intellectualism is pervasive; schools and universities are underfunded and badly administered. Serious study is avoided by endless excursions--"learning experiences"--which are actually programmed student fun activities. The system has made it "impossible to train the next generation of a governing elite." Mosler thinks "a country held together with recreational glue alone just might implode." As a nation, Australia might be "a lemon, a nonstarter." He argues that "without a sense of national purpose its best future option is to become the fifty-first state of America." An interesting, indeed fascinating, well-documented volume. All levels and collections.
  —CHOICE September 2002

Table of Contents:

• Glossary
• Australian Prime Ministers from World War II to the Present
• Preface
• The Historical Origins of the Recreational Society
• The Birth of a Nation
• The Economy
• The State
• The Culture: The Family, Sports, the Arts, the "Spiritual," and the First Australians
• The Education System
• Conclusion and the Future: Australia--the 51st State of America
• Epilogue
• Appendix
• Bibliography
• Index