A Free Country: Australians' Search for Utopia 1861-1901 tells how Australians, inspired by their new democracy, attempted to use their freedom to build a society without social and economic conflict.
As the second book in a landmark five-volume Australian Liberalism series, A Free Country shows the successes and missteps in the attempt to establish the legal and moral foundations for a liberal society in Australia, examining the ideological battles of the period.
The national politics of twentieth-century Australia had their roots during this time, as utopian dreams of 'social reconstruction' opposed liberal ideals of individual freedom, fostering the concept of 'class wars' and leading to the ongoing involvement of trade unions in politics.
As emerging collective ideas of nationalism, empire, race and class challenged individual rights and threatened to seed domestic and international conflict, liberals succeeded in bringing the six colonies into one Australian nation founded on liberal principles, writing a constitution hailed as the most democratic in the world.
- ISBN13 9780522873481
- Publish Date 2 April 2019
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 12 March 2021
- Publish Country AU
- Publisher Melbourne University Press
- Imprint The Miegunyah Press
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 579
- Language English