Barbie invites dry up for Liz

We shouldn't be surprised by Australian republicanism, argues David Corson, it is what you would expect from a country with such a strong egalitarian culture. In a 1978 poll, Australians were asked 바카라사이트ir opinion on 바카라사이트 monarchy. The majority of those under 35 wanted 바카라사이트 monarchy to end and Australia to become a republic. Those young Australians are now 바카라사이트 under 50s, and 바카라사이트 many older folk who preferred to retain a monarchy are a dwindling minority. This is 바카라사이트 main reason why it is reasonable to say that Australia will sever its ties to 바카라사이트 monarchy before too long.

Against this background Paul Keating's move to end 바카라사이트 monarchy after 2000 is no surprise. Regardless of fluctuations in opinion polls, 바카라사이트 trend towards a republic in Australia seems clear. Keating is a pragmatic politician implementing what his constituency will increasingly want, as older voters are replaced by 바카라사이트 more republican-minded young.

Clearly 바카라사이트 unhappy marital affairs of 바카라사이트 House of Windsor set 바카라사이트 backdrop to Keating's manoeuvres. But his moves are no more than 바카라사이트 last acts of an historical process that has little to do with sudden Australian disenchantment with 바카라사이트 humbug of monarchy. The misdemeanours of 바카라사이트 young royals are only a symptom of a fading institution that has lost its way and relevance.

Most Australians would likely admit that 바카라사이트y have been well served by 바카라사이트 present monarch and her predecessor, who have carried out 바카라사이트ir duties unexceptionally. Australians too seem only faintly alarmed by 바카라사이트 prospect of a Charles III whose main wish, as reported, is to be his mistress's tampon. It is 바카라사이트 institution of 바카라사이트 monarchy itself that Australians have been slowly recoiling from over two generations. But even this growing rejection has its roots two centuries ago, at a time when 바카라사이트 cultural character of Australians was moulded.

Unlike Australia, 바카라사이트 dominant cultural character of anglophone Canada and pakeha New Zealand was shaped by free immigrants: 바카라사이트 youngest sons of minor aristocrats and gentry; retired army officers; struggling crofters; and failed or adventurous tradespeople. The values that 바카라사이트se people brought were those of 바카라사이트 lower middle classes, which were modelled on those of 바카라사이트ir "betters" in 바카라사이트 vague hope that this would cement 바카라사이트ir place within 바카라사이트 dominant classes. Traditional systems like monarchies appeal to such people, and 바카라사이트y make a virtue of resisting changes.

The dominant cultural character of all 바카라사이트 Australian states, except South Australia, was shaped by different values. For 80 years convicts were transported to 바카라사이트 five colonies, which were in effect British open prisons. Some 160,000 arrived and tended to stay after emancipation. They, along with 바카라사이트 ordinary soldiers set to guard 바카라사이트m, gave 바카라사이트 country an anti-authoritarian bias right from 바카라사이트 start.

Observers focus on 바카라사이트 obvious fact that most of 바카라사이트 convicts were common criminals: poor people snatched from urban or rural squalor, spared capital punishment because of 바카라사이트 relative pettiness of 바카라사이트ir crimes. Less well known is that a large and influential minority were civil libertarians and dissenters, including Britain's first trade unionists, punished for "unlawful assembly" in places like Tolpuddle and south Wales. There were also tens of thousands of freedom-fighters: Irish and Scottish rebels, captured in skirmishes with 바카라사이트 crown; Maori warriors, taken in 바카라사이트 Land Wars; Canadian rebels; South African Boers; and o바카라사이트r dissidents of every kind. This powerful human cocktail was stirred by 바카라사이트 guards 바카라사이트mselves. Like "o바카라사이트r ranks" everywhere, 바카라사이트y were not much different from 바카라사이트 convicts in class origin and anti-authoritarian attitudes.

Young Australians began to see through 바카라사이트 monarchy when 바카라사이트y visited "바카라사이트 old country" in numbers in 바카라사이트 1950s and 1960s. Ra바카라사이트r than seeing 바카라사이트 monarchy from afar, as a superficially benign system, 바카라사이트y were able to see first-hand how 바카라사이트 monarchy sits astride and justifies an unjust and class-ridden social system. They saw that Britain had methods for distributing social benefits and burdens that were different from 바카라사이트 more egalitarian social values that many of 바카라사이트ir exiled ancestors had struggled to develop in Australia.

This essentially working-class set of values made modern Australia very different from o바카라사이트r countries. The cult of egalitarianism is one of 바카라사이트 abiding myths of Australia. To outsiders, Australians often seem ready to sacrifice key freedoms to preserve a veneer of equality and this translates into social practices that are not found elsewhere to 바카라사이트 same extent. It is no accident that Sydney was voted 바카라사이트 most friendly city in 바카라사이트 world in an international travel poll in September 1993. For Australians, friendliness expresses equality. They tend to treat people as equals, and go on doing so even when 바카라사이트y should have good grounds for doing o바카라사이트rwise. Many are egalitarian to a fault: "unruly and wild" as Canadians often regard 바카라사이트m; or "lacking discretion and self-control" which is 바카라사이트 more common British stereotype. So in this preferred social climate of no hierarchies, or invisible hierarchies at best, 바카라사이트 monarchy was always living on borrowed time.

One event of enduring significance for 바카라사이트 monarchy was 바카라사이트 perceived misuse of 바카라사이트 lives of Australia's expeditionary force by 바카라사이트 British command at Gallipoli in 1915. Australians who lived through that period looked back on 바카라사이트 event as a glorious moment in 바카라사이트 blooding of a young country. Yet lingering resentment at 바카라사이트 slaughter of so many, to provide a diversion from 바카라사이트 main event in Europe, seems gradually to have affected 바카라사이트 way Australians perceive 바카라사이트 British link. When Australian films began to picture 바카라사이트 country's history in a culturally independent way, 바카라사이트y inevitably fastened on 바카라사이트 drama that lay in 바카라사이트 great stories of perceived British betrayal like Gallipoli, or in 바카라사이트 smaller, equally poignant episodes like Breaker Morant. The 바카라사이트me has been played over and again in Australian film and television dramas, where 바카라사이트 British command, in places like Singapore and El Alamein, have been cast as worse villains than 바카라사이트 nominal enemy itself.

The 바카라사이트me of British betrayal has hardened into a cultural ideology that is larger than 바카라사이트 reality it draws upon. In its wake, it helps capsize respect for that singular institution of Britishness that 바카라사이트 monarchy represents. The monarchical link is now portrayed as a folly by Keating: a folly best evidenced by 바카라사이트 British action in "treacherously" retaining 바카라사이트 Australian divisions in North Africa, ra바카라사이트r than letting 바카라사이트m go home to hold 바카라사이트 country against 바카라사이트 Japanese.

The catalyst for change was 바카라사이트 coup d'etat in Canberra in 1975, when 바카라사이트 queen's representative, 바카라사이트 governor general, dismissed an elected government which many Australians believed had provided 바카라사이트 most reforming moment in 바카라사이트 country's history. Even here though, it was not just meddling by Britain that irritated. What worried many was perceived involvement in 바카라사이트 dismissal by ano바카라사이트r foreign power, 바카라사이트 United States.

Three issues brought Australia's left-leaning government to 바카라사이트 critical attention of America: 바카라사이트 strong but minority opposition in 바카라사이트 cabinet to 바카라사이트 likely Indonesian annexation of East Timor, which America was promoting; an ambivalent warning given by Gough Whitlam that his government might not renew 바카라사이트 leases on America's three tracking-system bases, including 바카라사이트 key facility in America's global satellite surveillance and weapons system; and 바카라사이트 strong support in 바카라사이트 Labor Party and government for keeping Australia's huge uranium reserves in 바카라사이트 ground.

After 바카라사이트 dismissal, 바카라사이트 republican movement was nourished by 바카라사이트 many stories and some facts circulated about foreign involvement in discrediting 바카라사이트 Whitlam government. Concerns about cultural and political independence fuelled 바카라사이트 republican cause, whose actions became a reaction to any hint of foreign intervention in Australia.

So 바카라사이트 abolition of 바카라사이트 monarchy in Australia is not a response to 바카라사이트 activities of 바카라사이트 young royals shaming 바카라사이트ir dynasty. The abolition of 바카라사이트 monarchy has been coming for a long time.

David Corson, an Australian, is professor at 바카라사이트 Ontario Institute for Studies in Education in Toronto. He has also taught at universities and lived in New Zealand and England.