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Redback Quarterly #14
This Time: Australia's Republican Past and Future
‘Australia was born in chains and is not yet fully free’ —John Hirst
In this crisp yet comprehensive book, Benjamin T. Jones explores Australia’s long republican history and boldly charts a path to an independent future.
With republicans leading every government around the nation, now is the time to discuss not only why Australia should become a republic, but what kind of republic it should be.
In This Time, Benjamin reveals the fascinating early history of the republican movement of the 1850s and its larger-than-life characters. He discusses Australia’s past as a predominantly Anglo monoculture and why we need a new model for a transformed nation. He demolishes monarchist arguments and discusses what went wrong in 1999 and the way forward from here, including the best method for appointing an Australian head of state.
‘To propose that an Australian should be the Australian head of state does not appear revolutionary or incendiary. If anything, it seems a rather banal and obvious assertion. “Isn’t that already the case?”, some may even ask. Flip an Australian coin and you’ll have your answer.’—Benjamin T. Jones
In this crisp yet comprehensive book, Benjamin T. Jones explores Australia’s long republican history and boldly charts a path to an independent future.
With republicans leading every government around the nation, now is the time to discuss not only why Australia should become a republic, but what kind of republic it should be.
In This Time, Benjamin reveals the fascinating early history of the republican movement of the 1850s and its larger-than-life characters. He discusses Australia’s past as a predominantly Anglo monoculture and why we need a new model for a transformed nation. He demolishes monarchist arguments and discusses what went wrong in 1999 and the way forward from here, including the best method for appointing an Australian head of state.
‘To propose that an Australian should be the Australian head of state does not appear revolutionary or incendiary. If anything, it seems a rather banal and obvious assertion. “Isn’t that already the case?”, some may even ask. Flip an Australian coin and you’ll have your answer.’—Benjamin T. Jones
192 pages, Paperback
Published January 24, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 27, 2018
I voted ‘yes’ in the 1999 referendum, but I haven’t given the possibility of an Australian Republic much thought since. I picked up This Time because the world in 2018 doesn’t look like I thought it would, and as I wondered (and perhaps obsessed) about the role of Australia on the global stage, the oft-forgotten matter of an Australian republic caught my attention.
This Time surprised me. I thought I understood the arguments, and I certainly wasn’t expecting anything new. Consider me chastened. The history of agitation for an Australian republic is riveting.
Review_This Time Australia’s Republican Past and Future
The bloody French Revolution and war of American Independence influenced the early advocates for an Australian republic. So did Scottish and Irish convicts (dumped on Australian shores for arguing that Scotland and Ireland should break free from Britain), and even Canadian convicts (yes, there were such a thing), who were brought to Australia after rebelling against the British Crown. They all found themselves in Australia, yet another outpost of the Empire in need of a break from the damn British.
And in much more recent years, how our status as a possession of the British Crown effects how we think of ourselves as a nation. Do you know how close we came to calling our currency the ‘royal’? And do you know the politicking behind the choice of our anodyne national anthem? And do you understand the extent to which the authority of an unelected monarch was used to change our leadership in 1975?
Jones doesn’t have all of the answers. But he did convince me the broad debate about an Australian republic and what it means to be Australian is an opportunity to address many of the outstanding items on our national to do list. Reconciliation. Australia Day. The national anthem. The flag. Multiculturalism. Even the citizenship of our politicians. And from an outsiders point of view, our role in our region, our relationship with America and our approach to the Asian Century.
If you are even mildly interested in an Australian republic, this book summarises exactly where the debates – and there are many of them, most of them difficult – stand in 2018.
If you are pro status the quo (do you think ‘it it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’? Or do you just like the glamour surrounding Royal weddings?), this book explains exactly why the status quo is not what you think it is. When laid out bare, it may actually make you uncomfortable.
And if you are pro-monarchy, well, you won’t enjoy This Time. But you should read it, as you will need to counter the arguments so deftly articulated by Jones.
NOTE: This review was first published on The Garret (www.thegarretpodcast.com) on 27 January 2018.
This Time surprised me. I thought I understood the arguments, and I certainly wasn’t expecting anything new. Consider me chastened. The history of agitation for an Australian republic is riveting.
Review_This Time Australia’s Republican Past and Future
The bloody French Revolution and war of American Independence influenced the early advocates for an Australian republic. So did Scottish and Irish convicts (dumped on Australian shores for arguing that Scotland and Ireland should break free from Britain), and even Canadian convicts (yes, there were such a thing), who were brought to Australia after rebelling against the British Crown. They all found themselves in Australia, yet another outpost of the Empire in need of a break from the damn British.
And in much more recent years, how our status as a possession of the British Crown effects how we think of ourselves as a nation. Do you know how close we came to calling our currency the ‘royal’? And do you know the politicking behind the choice of our anodyne national anthem? And do you understand the extent to which the authority of an unelected monarch was used to change our leadership in 1975?
Jones doesn’t have all of the answers. But he did convince me the broad debate about an Australian republic and what it means to be Australian is an opportunity to address many of the outstanding items on our national to do list. Reconciliation. Australia Day. The national anthem. The flag. Multiculturalism. Even the citizenship of our politicians. And from an outsiders point of view, our role in our region, our relationship with America and our approach to the Asian Century.
If you are even mildly interested in an Australian republic, this book summarises exactly where the debates – and there are many of them, most of them difficult – stand in 2018.
If you are pro status the quo (do you think ‘it it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’? Or do you just like the glamour surrounding Royal weddings?), this book explains exactly why the status quo is not what you think it is. When laid out bare, it may actually make you uncomfortable.
And if you are pro-monarchy, well, you won’t enjoy This Time. But you should read it, as you will need to counter the arguments so deftly articulated by Jones.
NOTE: This review was first published on The Garret (www.thegarretpodcast.com) on 27 January 2018.
October 30, 2020
An inspiring, infuriating and comprehensive history of Australian republicanism, rebuttal of the reactionary and imaginatively stunted monarchists and, above all, argument in favour of believing in ourselves and our country. Recommended to all Australians, republican or otherwise, and to all non-Australians with any interest in the issue.
March 20, 2018
I was already convinced that Australia should be a republic, but before I started the book, thought "Not now; it's not the right time. The marriage equality debate has surely fatigued most voters, and that wasn't even a vote, just a survey!" Then the book dismantled the "Not now; it's not the right time" argument, and convinced me that any time is a good time. Let's just get on with it.
The history of republicanism was very interesting, and I wasn't aware of the difficulties experienced when we selected the anthem, the name of our decimal currency, and the flag. I can't believe we once had four anthems at the same time, and that Australia had "Waltzing Matilda" as its official anthem at the 1976 Montreal Olympics (how embarrassing!).
Jones is very open that he is simply getting the conversation started with this book -- he just wants Australia to become a republic, in whichever format the Australian people think is best.
The history of republicanism was very interesting, and I wasn't aware of the difficulties experienced when we selected the anthem, the name of our decimal currency, and the flag. I can't believe we once had four anthems at the same time, and that Australia had "Waltzing Matilda" as its official anthem at the 1976 Montreal Olympics (how embarrassing!).
Jones is very open that he is simply getting the conversation started with this book -- he just wants Australia to become a republic, in whichever format the Australian people think is best.
May 25, 2020
A truly fantastic page-turner of Australian Republicanism and patriotism. I think this should be a must-read for any Australian to add to their breadth of knowledge surrounding the idea of an Australian Republic and its true historical roots. This gave eloquence and logic to arguments that seemed far more vague in my mind.
Onward to the Republic.
I would certainly be supportive of Dr Jones being at the head of such a movement.
Onward to the Republic.
I would certainly be supportive of Dr Jones being at the head of such a movement.
February 15, 2018
Anybody at all interested in achieving an Australian head of state and aligning our anachronistic Constitution to the reality of today’s modern Australia will enjoy this engaging book. It introduces a fresh look at some old issues and brings in some material that was very new to me and very enlightening.
I loved the distinction he draws between an Old Australia (with a subservient nationalism focussed upon racist white “Britishness” while clinging uncomfortably to the edge of Asia) and a New Australia (gradually more confident, independent, ethnically diverse and willing to embrace our place in the region). This made so much sense to me, cementing what I sort of knew already from lived experience into a clearly articulated historical transition. His identification of that transition between the two sometime in the 1960’s made so much sense. It’s so clear to me now that this is the main root of our failure so far to fully embrace a republic - our national identification with the “British race” and the vestiges of a faded empire ended such a short time ago in historical terms.
I do have some reservations about some of his conclusions and ideas when he strays from historical matters to political ones though. He is very cautious, academic and conservative.
For example, his proposed preamble is frankly (and with respect, Dr Jones) hardly worth writing down. It is very short and very sketchy. It has no trace of functionality as a preamble at all, in that it does not introduce the constitution, explain its origins or set the tone for what is to follow. It is an extraordinarily bland and timid statement communicating very little. I was shocked and a little offended (despite being non-indigenous) by a supposed statement of recognition that in its dozen words manages to pointedly avoid mentioning our First Peoples by name!
Secondly, his wonderful description of the First Nations as egalitarian mini-republics disappointingly veered off to a suggestion that Australia seek inspiration in the democratic ideals of Classical Greece. This seems to be a little academic and inaccessible to the average Australian. Even the concept of “meritocracy” may be a step too far in terms of common Australian ideals. Perhaps if the concept was to be spelt out in terms of the more familiar concepts like “the fair go”...
Anyway, the things I am critical of only served as spice in a good meal! They will not in any way detract from your enjoyment of this fine work and I am sure Dr Jones would be quite comfortable in the knowledge that he is stirring the debate necessary to help make the Republic happen... THIS TIME!
I loved the distinction he draws between an Old Australia (with a subservient nationalism focussed upon racist white “Britishness” while clinging uncomfortably to the edge of Asia) and a New Australia (gradually more confident, independent, ethnically diverse and willing to embrace our place in the region). This made so much sense to me, cementing what I sort of knew already from lived experience into a clearly articulated historical transition. His identification of that transition between the two sometime in the 1960’s made so much sense. It’s so clear to me now that this is the main root of our failure so far to fully embrace a republic - our national identification with the “British race” and the vestiges of a faded empire ended such a short time ago in historical terms.
I do have some reservations about some of his conclusions and ideas when he strays from historical matters to political ones though. He is very cautious, academic and conservative.
For example, his proposed preamble is frankly (and with respect, Dr Jones) hardly worth writing down. It is very short and very sketchy. It has no trace of functionality as a preamble at all, in that it does not introduce the constitution, explain its origins or set the tone for what is to follow. It is an extraordinarily bland and timid statement communicating very little. I was shocked and a little offended (despite being non-indigenous) by a supposed statement of recognition that in its dozen words manages to pointedly avoid mentioning our First Peoples by name!
Secondly, his wonderful description of the First Nations as egalitarian mini-republics disappointingly veered off to a suggestion that Australia seek inspiration in the democratic ideals of Classical Greece. This seems to be a little academic and inaccessible to the average Australian. Even the concept of “meritocracy” may be a step too far in terms of common Australian ideals. Perhaps if the concept was to be spelt out in terms of the more familiar concepts like “the fair go”...
Anyway, the things I am critical of only served as spice in a good meal! They will not in any way detract from your enjoyment of this fine work and I am sure Dr Jones would be quite comfortable in the knowledge that he is stirring the debate necessary to help make the Republic happen... THIS TIME!
April 2, 2018
You may think you know the arguments for an Australian Republic, but as this engaging and enthusiastic book shows, the issue is about so much more than just technical organisation of our nation state. Jones connects the current republic debate with a long and rich history of Civic Republicanism in Australia, and dives into the philosophical, political and practical merits of the various positions in the current debate. A short, sharp and informative read about this country and how it governs itself.
December 28, 2019
Bring on the Republic!
March 19, 2024
a great introduction to australian republicanism from a mainstream perspective
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews