Australia's Democracy

This comprehensive and accessible account of the evolution of Australia's democracy from colonial times to the present includes 80 documents and cartoons. The oddities of Australia's democratic society and notable Australian innovations like the secret ballot, the basic wage, and the practice of democratic manners are explored. With fresh interpretations, this book charts the transition from the era when racism limited political rights to today's concern that everyone's human rights be respected; from the demand that governments be free to carry out the people's wishes to the current desire to see all government power checked and controlled.