subject: Views On The Australian Gold Rush [print this page] Who is not familiar with the name of Edward Hargraves who set off the gold rush in Australia, after coming back disappointed from California? His place named Ohir attracted immediately 1,000 prospectors. While past events are not exempt from distortions due to imagination and wishful thinking, no one could contest that the beginning of the modern Australia may be found in the nineteenth century gold rushes.
The main views on the gold rush can be resumed to two: a favorable one and a deprecatory one. But given that actual facts are usually a mix of good and bad components, what is eventually relevant is which ones are predominant.
It is not debatable that the gold rushes of the nineteenth century had an immense economic, social and political influence on the formation of the Australian nation. The large gold output contributed by Australia to the world via the gold bullion transported to England led to huge imports and the prosperity of the domestic market. A new infrastructure had to be developed to meet the needs of the diggers and gold carriers. The economy boost was the work of a large number of immigrants, the population reaching more than one million in the decade of the first gold rush. This meant a fresh pool of skills and resources from all over the world.
Regulations and a gold licensing system were developed, which meant a substantial contribution to the treasury. On the other hand, the gold diggers revolted, and their stockade was a step towards the development of a democratic system. As workmates, diggers assisted and respected each other, contributing to the creation of the national identity, in conjunction with their disrespect for authorities.
All these demographic, social and economic advantages were counterbalanced by downward characteristics. The large number of immigrants contributed to the abolition of the transport of convicts to the continent, changing the demographic profile of the nation, but at the time the prevalent convict inhabitants were prone to committing crimes due to the greed to become rich as soon as possible. The gold rush had an adverse effect on the other industries, most laborers choosing to become gold diggers. The licensing system occasioned police corruption and killings of the diggers. The prevalent Chinese labor force in the gold fields was a source of racism and discontent. But no one could debate that the gold rush paid off in the end, facilitating the creation of a new modern nation!
by: Jack Wogan.
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