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Anti‐Conservatism: Paul Hasluck and Liberal Development in Papua New Guinea
Author(s) -
MacWilliam Scott
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
australian journal of politics and history
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.123
H-Index - 23
eISSN - 1467-8497
pISSN - 0004-9522
DOI - 10.1111/ajph.12535
Subject(s) - conservatism , liberalism , new guinea , political science , liberal party , government (linguistics) , developmentalism , population , public administration , political economy , industrialisation , indigenous , development economics , economic growth , sociology , law , ethnology , economics , demography , politics , linguistics , philosophy , ecology , biology
In the continuing debates about the relative importance of conservatism and liberalism in the history of the Australian Liberal Party, one important dimension remains absent. Liberal developmentalism as an important anti‐conservative strand of thought was critical to the party's formative years after the Second World War as a party of government. The importance of this facet of liberalism is illustrated here by reference to the role of long‐serving Minister for Territories Paul Hasluck in overseeing development in Papua and New Guinea (PNG). Hasluck and the Australian Administration formulated policy intended to secure the indigenous population on rural smallholdings at higher standards of living before industrialisation's anticipated effects of proletarianisation could take effect.