HSY2340

Australia and the British Empire, 1852- 1992

Proposed to be offered next in 1999

Bruce Knox

8 points
* Two lectures and one tutorial per week
* First semester
* Clayton

Objectives This subject elucidates the British and imperial context in which the Australian colonies became the Commonwealth of Australia, and the 20th-century imperial and international exigencies which shaped its later development.

Synopsis The Australian colonies became self-governing in 1855, with responsibility for policies on, for instance, race, tariffs and land use. A version of parliamentary monarchy was introduced, adapting to local circumstances - including `democracy' - in succeeding years. These political and constitutional developments, and the gradual withdrawal of the authority of the metropolitan State, took place in the broad context of the British Empire. The Australian Federal Constitution was formed in that context which also largely shaped the emergence of an independent Australian dominion. The subject examines this process and considers the significance of constitutional crises and questions which have arisen since 1945.

Assessment Two essays (1500 and 2500 words): 60%
* Examination (2 hours): 40%

Prescribed texts

Lloyd T O The British Empire, 1558- 1983 OUP, 1984
McMinn W G A constitutional history of Australia OUP, 1979
Porter B The lion's share: A short history of British imperialism, 1850- 1970 1975

Recommended texts

Fieldhouse D K The colonial empires: A comparative study from the 18th century to the present Wiedenfeld and Nicolson, 1966
Hirst J B The strange birth of colonial democracy Allen and Unwin, 1988
Hudson W J and Sharp M P Australian independence: Colony to reluctant kingdom 1988
James L The rise and fall of the British Empire Little Brown, 1994
Ward J M Colonial self-government: The British experience Macmillan, 1976