Democratic Adventurer

105014
$39.95

Democratic Adventurer

Graham Berry and the Making of Australian Politics

By Sean Scalmer

'Berry used his popular following to plunge Victoria into its most profound constitutional crisis, and this book establishes his lasting legacy.' Stuart Macintyre 

Graham Berry (1822-1904) was colonial Australia’s most gifted, creative and controversial politician. A riveting speaker, a newspaper proprietor and editor, and the founder of Australia’s first mass political party, he wielded these tools to launch an age of reform: spearheading the adoption of a ‘protectionist’ economic policy, the payment of parliamentarians, and the taxing of large landowners. He also sought the reform of the Constitution, precipitating a crisis that the London Times likened to a ‘revolution’. This book recovers Berry’s forgotten and fascinating life. It explores his drives and aspirations, the scandals and defeats that nearly derailed his career, and his remarkable rise from linen-draper and grocer to adored popular leader. It establishes his formative influence on later Australian politics. And it also uses Berry’s life to reflect on the possibilities and constraints of democratic politics, hoping thereby to enrich the contemporary political imagination.

About this book

More Information
ISBN9781925835779
Publisher NameMonash University Publishing
Item Dimensions153mm wide by 234mm high
Pages480
Contact NameMonash Publishing
Contact Emailpublishing@monash.edu
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