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Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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There was a lot of immigration in Australia from China, but also places like Afghanistan, i.e. non-European places, in the early days. If not for the White Australia Policy, how do you think this would have shaped Australia's demographics and culture today?
Since 1973 we've rapidly become multicultural, but even today some areas are pretty solidly white. I think without the WAP, multiculturalism might've began earlier, and Australia would be less British, less European, and culturally more Asian, perhaps also African. The population might've been as much as 30% Chinese: I read that for many years Asians outnumbered Europeans in Darwin. The Chinese were also very prominent in the Goldfields. Whether there'd be a lot of racism, it's hard to say, but I don't pretend to think it would be some peaceful utopia, no society is.
It's interesting to speculate. The policy is probably what kept Australia from being 'swamped by Asians' as they used to say. We're geographically in the Asian region, so it's not too implausible to think Australia would have become a majority ethnically-Asian country. Many believe the Malays and Chinese might've made it to Australia before Europeans.
If there was no white Australian policy there would of course be a lot of racism. Like in America which was very multiracial in 1900 the coloured and blacks lived largely segregated areas. Plus it be likely the Whites have their own schools and it would be allowed according to the law to hire people based on race. In addition the schools and even churches would likely be segregated. In all White colonial settled areas or former majority White Colonial countries had segregation based on race around the start of the 20th century.
If there was no white Australian policy there would of course be a lot of racism. Like in America which was very multiracial in 1900 the coloured and blacks lived largely segregated areas. Plus it be likely the Whites have their own schools and it would be allowed according to the law to hire people based on race. In addition the schools and even churches would likely be segregated. In all White colonial settled areas or former majority White Colonial countries had segregation based on race around the start of the 20th century.
Good Answer, your racist if you do and racist if you don't.
The USA itself actually ran a whole series of anti asian immigration policies, starting with the chinesse exclusion act in the mid 1880's, which was replaced by the immigration act of 1924 which basically banned all asian immigration into the country until it was ceased in 1965.
I wonder if thoes policies are slammed down the throats of americans the way we get the WAP slammed down ours?
Good Answer, your racist if you do and racist if you don't.
The USA itself actually ran a whole series of anti asian immigration policies, starting with the chinesse exclusion act in the mid 1880's, which was replaced by the immigration act of 1924 which basically banned all asian immigration into the country until it was ceased in 1965.
I wonder if thoes policies are slammed down the throats of americans the way we get the WAP slammed down ours?
+1
I've always wondered why Americans like to engage in finger pointing toward Australians for our previous racist immigration policies and the treatment of our indigenous communities. I think for many Americans they see the Australian aboriginals as "black" and so compare their plight to black Americans, instead of to native Americans.
Pretty much every European country ran racist immigration policies, I'm not sure why Australia is singled out. Oh well.
I've always wondered why Americans like to engage in finger pointing toward Australians for our previous racist immigration policies and the treatment of our indigenous communities. I think for many Americans they see the Australian aboriginals as "black" and so compare their plight to black Americans, instead of to native Americans.
Pretty much every European country ran racist immigration policies, I'm not sure why Australia is singled out. Oh well.
As did Canada and New Zealand, but you will never hear anything about them either.
Back to the question i doubt australias population would be much more black that it currently is if WAP never existed, unless there was some targeted campaing for blacks to immigrate, like we did with the europeans post WW2.
Last edited by danielsa1775; 09-03-2012 at 03:23 AM..
I think what many people ignore is that the policies of the past created a strong foundation, which newer policies have been built upon.
It's really a fantasy to think that countries like Australia could have been multicultural and multi-racial from day one, yet still think that they'd have the same stability, development and equality that they have now.
For all we know, we could have been living under a caste system right now.
Good Answer, your racist if you do and racist if you don't.
The USA itself actually ran a whole series of anti asian immigration policies, starting with the chinesse exclusion act in the mid 1880's, which was replaced by the immigration act of 1924 which basically banned all asian immigration into the country until it was ceased in 1965.
I wonder if thoes policies are slammed down the throats of americans the way we get the WAP slammed down ours?
Nope, they're not. It's not really talked about here
As posters have said other countries have had similar policies. Australia's is one of the most recent. As OP mentioned himself obvious difference is it would have been less European earlier with more immigration from not only just white countries. There are however, many other possible outcomes.
Australia does have more a reputation as racist among Americans than Canadians or Kiwis. Admittedly, this isn't based on research other than being a black person telling other Americans (white and black) that I was going to travel through Australia. It happens less so today but, not all that long ago, often the reaction would be "Aren't they all racists?" or "Do they even let black people in?" or some other question like that, which never happens if I tell people I'm going to Canada, England, or NZ.
Most Americans don't even know their own history though and assumed that the whole "give me your tired and your poor" on the statue of liberty meant that American borders were open to all everywhere. Until 1965, when the immigration laws were totally overhauled, the US pretty much had its own White American Policy in terms of immigration. And that was only 7 years or so before Australia got rid of its own restrictive laws. While there have always been some exceptions -- the Bracero Program in the US in the '40s to legally bring in migrant labor from Mexico, black American intelligentsia that fled to Europe in the 1920-1960s (Ralph Ellison, James Baldwin, etc.) -- I'm guessing it was pretty difficult for the average Asian, Latin, African, or black American to legally immigrate to Europe, North America, Australia until the late 60s/early 70s.
Australia does have more a reputation as racist among Americans than Canadians or Kiwis. Admittedly, this isn't based on research other than being a black person telling other Americans (white and black) that I was going to travel through Australia. It happens less so today but, not all that long ago, often the reaction would be "Aren't they all racists?" or "Do they even let black people in?" or some other question like that, which never happens if I tell people I'm going to Canada, England, or NZ.
Most Americans don't even know their own history though and assumed that the whole "give me your tired and your poor" on the statue of liberty meant that American borders were open to all everywhere. Until 1965, when the immigration laws were totally overhauled, the US pretty much had its own White American Policy in terms of immigration. And that was only 7 years or so before Australia got rid of its own restrictive laws. While there have always been some exceptions -- the Bracero Program in the US in the '40s to legally bring in migrant labor from Mexico, black American intelligentsia that fled to Europe in the 1920-1960s (Ralph Ellison, James Baldwin, etc.) -- I'm guessing it was pretty difficult for the average Asian, Latin, African, or black American to legally immigrate to Europe, North America, Australia until the late 60s/early 70s.
I had a chuckle at that ^.
Really wonder how these sentiments arise. We're really not all Anglo here. Interesting that the British dont have this label ... considering..
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