Re: [Marxism] Immigration in the Australian Economy

["Calvin Broadbent" <calvinbroadbent@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I think we're talking about more than 'sections' of the white Australian
working class that hold racist views. But anyway, one can compare Australia
to Nazi Germany. I have compared it in the sense that white Australians
living in an imperialist country have a great deal of contempt for
foreigners in their midst (and Semites in fact). I am not saying that the
Australian government is 'as bad' as Nazi Germany, but that there are some
parallels. Obviously, the ethnic cleansing of the original Australian
population by European colonists was genocidal and racist. Whilst there have
been some ambiguities in Australian attitudes to non-white populations (the
Timorese who helped Australian soldiers in the battle of Gallipoli are
remembered fondly in some quarters I think), the general tenor of white
Australian patriotism has been resolutely white supremacist for hundreds of
years.

Perhaps I have underestimated the significance of Australian protests for
reconciliation. I suspect many taking part in such protests could be
characterised as middle class, however. In any case, such protests are not
directed aganst imperialist racism as such (which would strike at the very
core of the Australian state), but concentrate more on reconciliation with
aboriginal peoples. I suspect many white Americans would sypathise with
movements to raise the living standards of first nation peoples, but would
still harbour racist views about blacks or the arab multitudes. In fact the
Australian 'national sorry day' was a government sponsored initiative. The
same government that institutes racist immigration policies and engages in
imperialist ventures.

Not all of the Lebanese are citizens or are categorised as lifetime
Australian residents. Many of them are contracted by the Australian state
until the profitability of Lebanese brain drain is on the wane. Many more
are illegal immigrants helping Austalian capital *and* the Australian people
to live high off the hog.

Anyway, I am sure that there are asome rich Lebanese citizens living in
Australia. And good for them; Australia has in tandem with its partners in
crime reduced Lebanon to a basketcase economy.


BEN COURTICE WROTE:


Calvin wrote
"Australia is more like Nazi Germany before the war, where German
workers were encouraged to, and did, look down on the cheaper lives,
labor and wares of conscripted Eastern European slave labourers."

Well, the second part is true in the sense that it's the normal ideology
of imperialism, bolstered by the secure situation afforded sections of
the imperialists' working class.

Comparing Australia to Nazi Germany is otherwise silly.

"Certainly the white Australian working class know it. That's why they
try and beat blacks down wherever they raise their head."

Well, as has been pointed out, this is not nearly the whole story,
although I'll testify that racism is pretty strong among large parts of
the white working class. Others have pointed out the huge protests for
reconciliation and so forth.

"Australia *is* an imperialist country. Its citizens are rich
(Australian GDP per capita $33,629, Lebanese GDP per capita $5,434),
and, furthermore, enjoy a far higher degree of income inequality than
the Lebanese (Australia with a Gini coefficient of 35 and Lebanon with a
Gini coefficient of 56)"

Yes, but the Lebanese youth in question are Australian citizens too. Of
course the Sydney suburban income differentials have been posted in more
detail by Nick.

The general point Calvin makes about combating the racists, the
pro-imperialists and so on (including those among the working class) is
fine with me, but his invective is a little sloppy I believe.

Ben

_________________________________________________________________
Be the first to hear what's new at MSN - sign up to our free newsletters!
http://www.msn.co.uk/newsletters


________________________________________________
YOU MUST clip all extraneous text before replying to a message.
Send list submissions to: Marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/marxism