Australians's Identity: Divided Society
Discuss: “Despite the unifying results of WWI in relation to its identity, the overall result was a divided society.”
The experience of World War I consolidated Australians’ pride in themselves, with the emergence of the ANZAC legend bringing ideas of Australian identity into focus. The war opened up deep divisions in Australia, a main division being religious; between the Protestants and Roman Catholics. The conscription issue also deeply divided Australia, with many people both for and against it.
During the 1920s and early 1930s, the Protestants held many of the key positions in business and politics while the Catholics were predominately the working class in society. There was a considerable division between the classes in society after
the war and Australia was far more divided than unified.
Another major division in Australian society after the war was between the men who had fought in the war, and the men who had stayed home. Often the men who had fought were more highly regarded for their courageous deeds and therefore they were given jobs and received multiple benefits. This caused some rivalry between the men because the men who stayed home were losing their jobs.
While Australia’s involvement in the war was supported by the vast majority of Australians, the issue of conscription deeply divided the nation. Every group and individual had a strong opinion, and from the two plebiscites held in 1916 and 1917 it was clear that the nation was quite split on the conscription issue.
Other divisions in society at the time include the division between radicals and conservatives, anti-Irish independents and pro-Irish as well as the division between trade unionists and strike-breakers. The Irish were seen as scum or traitors in Australia by many people. The pro-Irish had set up an Irish Republican Army and they had had an uprising in 1916 which had created a greater division between the people.
Although Australia was somewhat unified by WWI with the evolving of the ANZAC legend, it was more divided than unified. There were clear divisions in society after the war which continued into the 1930s.
The experience of World War I consolidated Australians’ pride in themselves, with the emergence of the ANZAC legend bringing ideas of Australian identity into focus. The war opened up deep divisions in Australia, a main division being religious; between the Protestants and Roman Catholics. The conscription issue also deeply divided Australia, with many people both for and against it.
During the 1920s and early 1930s, the Protestants held many of the key positions in business and politics while the Catholics were predominately the working class in society. There was a considerable division between the classes in society after
the war and Australia was far more divided than unified.
Another major division in Australian society after the war was between the men who had fought in the war, and the men who had stayed home. Often the men who had fought were more highly regarded for their courageous deeds and therefore they were given jobs and received multiple benefits. This caused some rivalry between the men because the men who stayed home were losing their jobs.
While Australia’s involvement in the war was supported by the vast majority of Australians, the issue of conscription deeply divided the nation. Every group and individual had a strong opinion, and from the two plebiscites held in 1916 and 1917 it was clear that the nation was quite split on the conscription issue.
Other divisions in society at the time include the division between radicals and conservatives, anti-Irish independents and pro-Irish as well as the division between trade unionists and strike-breakers. The Irish were seen as scum or traitors in Australia by many people. The pro-Irish had set up an Irish Republican Army and they had had an uprising in 1916 which had created a greater division between the people.
Although Australia was somewhat unified by WWI with the evolving of the ANZAC legend, it was more divided than unified. There were clear divisions in society after the war which continued into the 1930s.