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
DAVID MOSLER is Senior Lecturer in American History at the University of Adelaide. His most recent book, co-authored with Bob Catley, was Global America: Imposing Liberalism on a Recalcitrant World (Praeger, 2000).
?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
"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
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