Popular Nationalism in Australia, Immigration, and Pollution of White Culture - Essay Example

Racism Name Course Instructor Date Racism is discrimination or ill-treatment of people base on their racial characteristics by devaluing and dis-empowering them. The peopling process refers to the population distribution process. Racial based peopling involves eliminating or marginalizing members of a particular race from the population structure. Ever since the colonization of Australia by The British there have been conflicts between indigenous Australians and those views as colonialists from other European countries especially Britain .Since 1778,it is a fair comment to state that the peopling process of Australia has been driven by racism. This can clearly be deduced from the historical processes and implementation of policies that has taken place since colonization by The British. There have been progressive prejudicial ideologies directed towards indigenous Australians who are not white. The worst affected were The Aborigines who ever sine they arrived in Australia have faced extermination and assimilation from British authorities. (Stevens,1972,P. 15 ).The other category involves immigrants from The Asian and Malaysian societies who were degraded and exploited by The British masters during the gold-discovery period.( Australia,1990,p.25 ).A quest to achieve a predominant or majority “white” population can be deciphered from formulation and enactment of “The White Australia Policy.” Since 1788, The British colonialists regarded The Aborigines as a primitive inferior race. Their land was declared a terra nullius (Vacant land) giving The British a legal right to dispossess and displace them without making an y treaties whatsoever.(Webb&Enstice 1998,p.34 ).the policies they introduced ensured that The Aborigines were suppressed socially, politically, and economically through prejudicial practices such as cultural-absorption. The British grabbed the fertile land from the community and used it for their own settler farming initiatives. They then recruited to serve as laborers under very poor labor conditions. For instance they were paid inform of foodstuff and beddings while their white counterparts received monetary wages and remuneration. Their children were taken away from them and placed in missions and camps where they would undergo assimilation into the cultural ways of The British and lose their Aborigine identity. This is because The British considered The Aborigine culture to be irrelevant and useless hence it the best interest of their children to get exposed to a more sophisticated culture. (Webb& Entice, 1988, p.72).Such children have come to be known as the stolen generation and are perennially struggling with an identity crisis some up to old-age. The process took place between 1869 to 1969, though they are unproven allegations that it continued after 1970. Between 1860 and 1870.the policy of protectionism was introduced and The Offices of the protector of The Aborigines were inaugurated.( Australia 1970,p.25 )Incarceration of Aborigine in missions ad reserves then followed to ensure that smooth propagation of the white population in towns and indeed in the entire Australian society. The policy also saw children of mixed blood (those born by parent from different races) being placed under state ward ship because they were considered superior to indigenous Aborigine but inferior to purely white people. (Stevens 1972, p. 56) .They was then compelled to become laborer for little pay. A decree that the Aborigines were primitive race that was fading from the earth led to their neglect in social and welfare services and projects .They could not access proper medical care and most of them ended up dying from diseases that could be cured. The rest of the population then died from starvation because it could get access to basic food items. This led to a 90% reduction in the population of the aborigines between 1788 and 1900.It can therefore be seen that they were direct efforts to ensure that Australia became a country with one superior pure race. The Tasmanian Aborigines, the original inhabitants of The Tasmania State in the South of Australia, estimated to between 3000 and 15 000 before colonization by The British were the most mistreated Aboriginal group. Their extermination has been viewed by many historians as a form of genocide. It is said that destructive diseases were deliberately introduced in their habitats so as to reduce their population. (Stevens 1972, P.99).Historian Geoffrey Blainey argued that though they were affected by way and gross violation of most of their rights, diseases were responsible for death of most of the population. The survivors of The Tasmanian population who are estimated o be 200 in number were lured to move from the land by the then lieutenant governor with promises that they would be given land and that they would be re-united with their families. The promised turned out to be a ploy to have them move away government could use it. They were moved to an Aboriginal Reserves where they were exposed to diseases further reducing the population to 47 people.(Webb&Enstice 1998,p.81).The last survivor died in 1876.Today their language is non-existent though, there are attempts at reconstruction. Aborigines also suffered indirectly. The new methods of farming introduced by The British meant they could no longer access necessary food item. Diseases such as small pox also found their way to Australia through The British colonizers. Bad living conditions and poor eating habits meat that he Aborigines had weak immunity and were more susceptible and vulnerable. They were easily infected and cold not access immunization under The White policy. Most of them died from the dangerous diseases which some historians argue were introduced deliberately. Gold was discovered in Australia between 1850 and 1860 in Victoria and New South Wales leading to a proliferation of immigrants from various countries, especially Asian countries such as China, India and Malaysia. The British welcomed their presence because they provided labor at very cheap rates. Their treatment varied from that of the whites in that they were paid one-third of the wages the whites were paid, and their feeding and housing conditions were very poor. (Stevens 1972, p.164). They were ridiculed that they did not get tired which was an act of despising the ethics of Asian people who believe in hard work. They were also resented by fellow white workers who saw them as competition and a threat to their job security. This saw calls to kick them out of Australia through calls by various trade unions. The leaders of the labor movements agitated for restrictions to Asian immigration. This move was supported by the larger white population. It came to the notice of The British colonialists that while the Asian; labor was cheap and helped reduce the costs of production, they would reproduce and their number in the population would increase. This posed three distinct threats: Reduction in employment opportunities for white people; threatening the presence of a single race of white people; and sprawling of a race of mixed-race children who were considered impure. (Vasta& castles 1996, p.98).To discourage multi-racism, the workers were under-exploited and mistreated with the eventual aim that upon completion of their labor services they would be deported to their home countries. In 1901, The Federal government passed The Immigration Restriction Act (‘The White Australia policy”) in order to regulate immigration of non-white people. The act was lauded and appreciated by many trade unions as racism had spread to all corners of The Australian population. (Stevens 1972, p.165).Under The Act Aborigines and immigrants from Africa and Asia could not become citizens in Australia and they were prohibited from voting. In 1905, legislation ensured that the groups could not get access to socio-welfare benefits. (Webb&Enstice, p. 109). Following the Sino-Japanese war, where China was defeated by Japan, Japanese immigrant workers exceeded The Chinese work-force.Anti-racism sentiment under the guise of white nationalism increased towards The Japanese workers. Japan sponsors an amendment in the League of Nations Peace Conference to have equality among all the races. The Australian delegation opposed such an amendment and was quite vocal in rejection of the amendment. Popular nationalism in Australia viewed immigration s invasion and pollution of white-culture.( Vasta&Castles,1998,P.169 ).To ensure domination of the white culture, white immigrants were encouraged .They could enter and leave Australia anytime they preferred to do so. Aborigines and the rest of the immigrant were expected to learn how to speak and write in English, assimilate into the white culture and cut themselves from their ethnic/original customs, languages and traditions. (Stevens, 1972, P.171).Since international policy did not allow racial discrimination; restriction to immigration could not be based on racial origin. To circumvent this ad achieve the same results, The British administration came up with a language test. Only 6% of prospective immigrants passed the test that involved dictation between 1902 and 1909.No single person passed the test in the years post 1909.The immigration Act clearly stipulated that upon failure of the test or upon poor performance, the immigrant had to be restricted from entering into Australia or face the equally inhuman alternative of instance deportation.( Webb & Enstice,1998,P. 112).A policy to maintain a white population is evident as white immigrants did not have to sit this test. The few immigrants who passed the sentence had to constantly improve their knowledge of English and had to rapidly assimilate into the white culture because they had to undergo re-evaluation after one year. If they failed the subsequent test, they were also subjected to deportation (Webb&Enstice, 1998, P.113).There was therefore a strive to control the peopling process of Australia on racial basis through all means policy including legislative measures such as enactment of prejudicial statutes. It is evident racism has been a core factor in the peopling process of Australia throughout the country’s history. The racist ideology was implemented to ensure that minority populations such as the immigrants were completely eliminated from The Australian culture through annihilation, extermination, assimilation and deportation. Laws developed by the federal government further legitimized discrimination, Modern Australia is currently very tolerant of other racial groups.Anti-racism laws are in place and any person is welcome to enter Australia. The rights of Aborigines to vote and t become citizens of Australia have been re-established.; Their land has been returned and they have been offered grants(Australia,1990,P.35);the stolen generation of children who were assimilated into the white culture referred to have received public apologies; and Immigrants can freely access Australia through enactment of laws such as The Racial Discrimination Act 1995 and The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act which expressly prohibit racism. Australia is on the right track of getting must find a way to rid itself of the evils of the colonial period in the peopling process. The positive progress must be applauded .However historical injustices must be addressed and resolved. Reconciliation sessions must be held and all the Aboriginal children must have a mechanism to trace their roots. The healing process must be implemented so that no individual, community, or generation harbors ill sentiment towards the other. The past cannot be reversed but caution must be taken so that it is not repeated in the future. References Australia. (1990). racial discrimination in Australia: an annotated bibliography. Canberra, Australian Govt. Pub. Service. Stevens, F. S. (1972). Racism; the Australian experience; a study of race prejudice in Australia. New York, Taplinger Pub. Co Vasta, E., & CastleS, S. (1996). The teeth are smiling: the persistence of racism in multicultural Australia. St. Leonards, NSW, Allen & Unwin. Webb, J., & Enstice, A. (1998). Aliens & savages: fiction, politics, and prejudice in Australia. Pymble, N.S.W., HarperCollins. Read More