Thanks for this, I really enjoyed it. I will respond with my own eclectic stories.
While not a historian, I am a family historian and it is an eye opener to go back and look at the broader context of family history to see what was happening around that time.
My Flanagan side were obviously Irish and predictably convicts. The first one was sent out in 1825 (per-famine) and I doubt I would be here if he was still in Ireland at that time. Still from a convict start he eventually had property rights (not freehold) on what was the original Yarralumla Estate, which now forms part of the G-G house in Canberra. So that was a big step up from convict to property right holder in the space of 30 years. But one thing I did note in my research was the strong intent and desire of the British colonist to recreate a class society, including the yeoman farmer. It was mainly the Irish, who had experience in this area, that pushed back hard and eventually we had a more egalitarian society (up to a certain point in time and effect).
My ex-wife on the other hand descends from German stock and I was shocked to realised that when they emigrated in 1849 they still had to get permission from the Dutchy to emigrate. In other words they were still living a serfdom life. No wonder so many people from such countries took up the opportunities, despite the negatives, when the various Australian states were begging for migrants (pre-gold rush).
Then my father. Classic depression era child. His father was a renter and my father was destined to become one of the labouring renting class untill WW2 intervened. I highly recommend you look into the Chiefly Labor Government "Commonwealth Reconstruction Training Scheme (CRTS)" established in 1942 with a view to retraining, reengaging and bringing cheaper housing to returning servicemen well before that war ended. It was his changing door moment that brought about his own Uncle Gronk moment - being able to buy a house in the middlest suburb in middle Sydney. That scheme was ground breaking in its depth and impact and it makes you wonder why we can't have the courage to do something similar anymore!
I noticed that we are currently looking to recruit non-Australians into the Army, presumable because Australians don't want to join. My immediate thought upon hearing that story was I wonder if young people will rush to defend Australia if we get entangled in a war. What stake or loyalty do they have to a country that has effectively locked them out of future affordable home ownership that a Uncle Gronk like me enjoyed?
You've more or less confirmed my whole article with your family history. I certainly don't envy the serfs of the various German Principalities and Europe more broadly.
I actually had the idea for this article watching this TV show called 1883 which is in part about all the various German, Scandanavian and Dutch immigrants travelling from Texas to the new settlements in the west in covered wagons. Such a violent and horrible experience you have to ask "was Europe really so bad that you would resort to this?" - and the answer is apparently yes it was that bad.
Anyway, thanks for commenting Neil. You need your own substack page!
Yes, for a lot of migrants from those early times it was simply a case of whether you turned left or right upon leaving your homeland, which then often determined your future life.
But to get even more philosophical, the plight of these migrants mirror the plight of modern day refugees - what parent wouldn't "risk it all" if their existing conditions are so horrible, so their children have a chance of a better life somewhere else. For my ex-wife German ancestors, there were constant wars going on in their locality and your chances of dying in such wars was extremely high. It makes such migration decision no less difficult, but easy when you look at the bigger picture.
Yep a great article Menzies promoted home ownership I suspect for the reasons you outlined. Hawke and Keating employee share schemes for similar reasons. Upward social mobility has long been a characteristic of life in Australia and its demise is already manifest in the splintering of the two party vote and a growing skepticism about the benefits of capitalism. FYI my great grandfather migrated here in 1850s for the exact reasons you outlined. You may find it informative to look at the property booms and busts in the 1850 forward. It has not all been smooth sailing.
Thanks Rob - I know I did gloss over that period for the sake of brevity and convenience and I’m by no means an expert in that period (or any period for that matter haha). But you’re right it’s an extremely interesting period basically from the gold rush to the First World War when viewing it through the lens of the housing market. I think most people wouldn’t believe you if you told them about what Melbourne in particular was like during that period
The ring of truth. Lots of wry humor. Love the illustrations. I reckon Geoffrey Blainey would approve. Yes, my ancestors arrived in the 1950s just prior to the gold rush and signed the Eureka petition, one of them in a shipload of German vignerons and winemakers, an early instance of bringing in people to meet a skilled labour shortage, and a second, his brother coming from North America in a ship chartered by its passengers to get them to the goldfields, of which there is no landing record, an early instance of the arrival of 'boat people'.
In Western Australia 'next to nothing' land grants came to an end in the 1970s. Until then a guy who was prepared to work in the back blocks could move into the top 3% of income earners inside 20 years.
Seems to me that unless we are prepared to tax unearned capital gains that accrue as a consequence of the 50% tax holiday on capital gains and interest deductibility that rewards those on the highest marginal tax rates most handsomely, the future for the middle and lower classes in Australia looks decidedly bleak. At current interest rates it's impossible for them to borrow to buy a home. Meanwhile, those who actually don't need to borrow will do so as a means to accrue wealth via property acquisition. By comparison with investment in property, the share market is a mug's game.
The big super funds know this. So much for Paul Keatings initiative in ramping up super to finance investment that would increase productivity. Bummer.
Of course, the net zero nonsense will ramp the cost of energy putting further pressure on productivity. Oh dear!
Thanks for commenting Erl - yes the super funds and big institutional investors (Blackrock, Vanguard etc) investing in real estate is a big concern. As if more money needs to be poured into this asset class!
As a recent immigrant I just find it bizarre that the Australian chattering class is so enamoured with the predecessor stone age culture and not the fucking miracle and possibly greatest wonder of the modern world of building a functioning advanced society on the opposite side of the world. Did the Germans or the French do anything like that?
Thanks for this, I really enjoyed it. I will respond with my own eclectic stories.
While not a historian, I am a family historian and it is an eye opener to go back and look at the broader context of family history to see what was happening around that time.
My Flanagan side were obviously Irish and predictably convicts. The first one was sent out in 1825 (per-famine) and I doubt I would be here if he was still in Ireland at that time. Still from a convict start he eventually had property rights (not freehold) on what was the original Yarralumla Estate, which now forms part of the G-G house in Canberra. So that was a big step up from convict to property right holder in the space of 30 years. But one thing I did note in my research was the strong intent and desire of the British colonist to recreate a class society, including the yeoman farmer. It was mainly the Irish, who had experience in this area, that pushed back hard and eventually we had a more egalitarian society (up to a certain point in time and effect).
My ex-wife on the other hand descends from German stock and I was shocked to realised that when they emigrated in 1849 they still had to get permission from the Dutchy to emigrate. In other words they were still living a serfdom life. No wonder so many people from such countries took up the opportunities, despite the negatives, when the various Australian states were begging for migrants (pre-gold rush).
Then my father. Classic depression era child. His father was a renter and my father was destined to become one of the labouring renting class untill WW2 intervened. I highly recommend you look into the Chiefly Labor Government "Commonwealth Reconstruction Training Scheme (CRTS)" established in 1942 with a view to retraining, reengaging and bringing cheaper housing to returning servicemen well before that war ended. It was his changing door moment that brought about his own Uncle Gronk moment - being able to buy a house in the middlest suburb in middle Sydney. That scheme was ground breaking in its depth and impact and it makes you wonder why we can't have the courage to do something similar anymore!
I noticed that we are currently looking to recruit non-Australians into the Army, presumable because Australians don't want to join. My immediate thought upon hearing that story was I wonder if young people will rush to defend Australia if we get entangled in a war. What stake or loyalty do they have to a country that has effectively locked them out of future affordable home ownership that a Uncle Gronk like me enjoyed?
This link gives the bare bones of the CRTS https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_Reconstruction_Training_Scheme
Neil, a gem of a contribution. We need to see a bit more activity from you.
You've more or less confirmed my whole article with your family history. I certainly don't envy the serfs of the various German Principalities and Europe more broadly.
I actually had the idea for this article watching this TV show called 1883 which is in part about all the various German, Scandanavian and Dutch immigrants travelling from Texas to the new settlements in the west in covered wagons. Such a violent and horrible experience you have to ask "was Europe really so bad that you would resort to this?" - and the answer is apparently yes it was that bad.
Anyway, thanks for commenting Neil. You need your own substack page!
Yes, for a lot of migrants from those early times it was simply a case of whether you turned left or right upon leaving your homeland, which then often determined your future life.
But to get even more philosophical, the plight of these migrants mirror the plight of modern day refugees - what parent wouldn't "risk it all" if their existing conditions are so horrible, so their children have a chance of a better life somewhere else. For my ex-wife German ancestors, there were constant wars going on in their locality and your chances of dying in such wars was extremely high. It makes such migration decision no less difficult, but easy when you look at the bigger picture.
Yep a great article Menzies promoted home ownership I suspect for the reasons you outlined. Hawke and Keating employee share schemes for similar reasons. Upward social mobility has long been a characteristic of life in Australia and its demise is already manifest in the splintering of the two party vote and a growing skepticism about the benefits of capitalism. FYI my great grandfather migrated here in 1850s for the exact reasons you outlined. You may find it informative to look at the property booms and busts in the 1850 forward. It has not all been smooth sailing.
Thanks Rob - I know I did gloss over that period for the sake of brevity and convenience and I’m by no means an expert in that period (or any period for that matter haha). But you’re right it’s an extremely interesting period basically from the gold rush to the First World War when viewing it through the lens of the housing market. I think most people wouldn’t believe you if you told them about what Melbourne in particular was like during that period
The ring of truth. Lots of wry humor. Love the illustrations. I reckon Geoffrey Blainey would approve. Yes, my ancestors arrived in the 1950s just prior to the gold rush and signed the Eureka petition, one of them in a shipload of German vignerons and winemakers, an early instance of bringing in people to meet a skilled labour shortage, and a second, his brother coming from North America in a ship chartered by its passengers to get them to the goldfields, of which there is no landing record, an early instance of the arrival of 'boat people'.
In Western Australia 'next to nothing' land grants came to an end in the 1970s. Until then a guy who was prepared to work in the back blocks could move into the top 3% of income earners inside 20 years.
Seems to me that unless we are prepared to tax unearned capital gains that accrue as a consequence of the 50% tax holiday on capital gains and interest deductibility that rewards those on the highest marginal tax rates most handsomely, the future for the middle and lower classes in Australia looks decidedly bleak. At current interest rates it's impossible for them to borrow to buy a home. Meanwhile, those who actually don't need to borrow will do so as a means to accrue wealth via property acquisition. By comparison with investment in property, the share market is a mug's game.
The big super funds know this. So much for Paul Keatings initiative in ramping up super to finance investment that would increase productivity. Bummer.
Of course, the net zero nonsense will ramp the cost of energy putting further pressure on productivity. Oh dear!
Thanks for commenting Erl - yes the super funds and big institutional investors (Blackrock, Vanguard etc) investing in real estate is a big concern. As if more money needs to be poured into this asset class!
As a recent immigrant I just find it bizarre that the Australian chattering class is so enamoured with the predecessor stone age culture and not the fucking miracle and possibly greatest wonder of the modern world of building a functioning advanced society on the opposite side of the world. Did the Germans or the French do anything like that?
Ive noticed this too, i call these people prole investors/bogan investors
These people need to be wiped out. They are not smart enough or of good enough tatse to have so much money
TL; DR