The Great White Wall Essay -- Australia Immigration Migration Papers

The Great White Wall For most people, someone within their ancestral lineage has immigrated to a new country. Immigration has been perceived as a way to provide and enhance personal opportunities (McConville: p 73). Overpopulation began to be a problem in many of the great empires in the early 19th century, and emigration seemed to provide the best opportunity for people to better themselves in a new world (McConville: p 73). Rather than draining the resources within one society, people were given the opportunity to form a new life and use the resources in another land (McConville: p 73). The Great White Wall Australia became portrayed as a haven from industrial capitalism (McConville: p 73). Many immigrants began to flood into the land where opportunities could be found. However, Australia flourished within a white society, providing only racist ideals to â€Å"rationalize and condone the colonial conquest, cultural domination, racial exclusion and economic inequality† (Evans: p 175). As McQueen put it, â€Å"Racism was the most important single component of Australian nationalism† (McQueen: p 29). Australia built a ‘white wall’ against any non-European immigrant and through racism as well as policy; segregation and sometimes even exclusion of non-whites was sustained. The influx of immigrants from around Europe and surrounding nations began to integrate into Australia and gave rise to a nation of opportunity. In the mid-1800’s the attraction of ‘men of energy’ to produce a stable working force for the economy became the basis for many policies set up to help integrate immigrants into the country (McConville: p 74). Immigration assistance became established primarily for agricultural workers and single women (McConvi... ..., 1975. Iredale, Robyn, Guest Lecturer for GEOS 382: 24/10/02, University of Wollongong, Spring 2002. Jupp, J, From White Australia to Woomera: The Story of Australian Immigration, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2002. McConville, C, ‘Peopling the Place Again’ in Burgmann V and Lee J (eds), A Most Valuable Acquisition, A People’s History of Australia Since 1788, Penguin Books, Ringwood, 1988. McQueen, H, A New Britannia: an Argument concerning the Social Origins of Australian Radicalism and Nationalism, Penguin Books, Ringwood, 1970. Price, C, The Great White Walls are Built: Restrictive immigration to North America and Australasia 1836-1888, Australian Institute of International Affairs in association with Australian National University Press, Canberra, 1974. Selleck, Bruce, GEOS 382, University of Wollongong, Spring 2002. The Great White Wall Essay -- Australia Immigration Migration Papers The Great White Wall For most people, someone within their ancestral lineage has immigrated to a new country. Immigration has been perceived as a way to provide and enhance personal opportunities (McConville: p 73). Overpopulation began to be a problem in many of the great empires in the early 19th century, and emigration seemed to provide the best opportunity for people to better themselves in a new world (McConville: p 73). Rather than draining the resources within one society, people were given the opportunity to form a new life and use the resources in another land (McConville: p 73). The Great White Wall Australia became portrayed as a haven from industrial capitalism (McConville: p 73). Many immigrants began to flood into the land where opportunities could be found. However, Australia flourished within a white society, providing only racist ideals to â€Å"rationalize and condone the colonial conquest, cultural domination, racial exclusion and economic inequality† (Evans: p 175). As McQueen put it, â€Å"Racism was the most important single component of Australian nationalism† (McQueen: p 29). Australia built a ‘white wall’ against any non-European immigrant and through racism as well as policy; segregation and sometimes even exclusion of non-whites was sustained. The influx of immigrants from around Europe and surrounding nations began to integrate into Australia and gave rise to a nation of opportunity. In the mid-1800’s the attraction of ‘men of energy’ to produce a stable working force for the economy became the basis for many policies set up to help integrate immigrants into the country (McConville: p 74). Immigration assistance became established primarily for agricultural workers and single women (McConvi... ..., 1975. Iredale, Robyn, Guest Lecturer for GEOS 382: 24/10/02, University of Wollongong, Spring 2002. Jupp, J, From White Australia to Woomera: The Story of Australian Immigration, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2002. McConville, C, ‘Peopling the Place Again’ in Burgmann V and Lee J (eds), A Most Valuable Acquisition, A People’s History of Australia Since 1788, Penguin Books, Ringwood, 1988. McQueen, H, A New Britannia: an Argument concerning the Social Origins of Australian Radicalism and Nationalism, Penguin Books, Ringwood, 1970. Price, C, The Great White Walls are Built: Restrictive immigration to North America and Australasia 1836-1888, Australian Institute of International Affairs in association with Australian National University Press, Canberra, 1974. Selleck, Bruce, GEOS 382, University of Wollongong, Spring 2002.