History – Political, Social and Economic from 1950 - 2025
Dated 22nd September, 2024.
Social
1950-1960’s
After WWII migrants from Italy and Greece (two countries Australia and its allies defeated in World War II) and established new businesses and built new houses and suburbs particularly in Melbourne and Sydney.
Assimilated well. In Melbourne Greeks lived in Richmond and Italians lived in Carlton.
Life was slower – one knew the neighbours had a time for a chat and drink with the neighbours.
A work attitude was still very much “old school” jobs for the boys. Law firms for instance preferred law graduates who come from a particular school.
Bread, ice and milk were delivered to your home by horse drawn carts in the 1950’s. Made way for supermarkets which came into place in the late 1950’s. Very much a period of “steady as she goes”.
1970’s
Drugs and free love, music from the Beatles and Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix, Eagles etc. A golden age for music – early 60’s to early 80’s.
It was the beginning of questioning – challenging authority. Albert Langer for example protested with a sit in at the office of the Vice Chancellor of Monash University in the early 1970’s.
Beginning of international travel by plane.
Decline in religion and church attendance. Religion had helped to hold families together.
Opening of business on a Sunday was prohibited. Sunday was a day of rest and day with the family. Catholic and Protestant (with various sub denominations) became simply Christians.
1980’s
Liberalisation of free speech continued. Marriage was still at the forefront but both men and women commenced to marry much later in life – from 20 years of age to 25-30 years of age.
Businesses began trading on a Sunday.
Women throughout the period from the 1950s to the 1980’s married and had children and stayed home.
That position changed in the 1980’s – inflation in the early 1970’s had made life that much harder and two income families developed very quickly through the 1980’s. Fax machines replaced telex. Typing pools replaced stenographers which in turn were replaced by computers. Football clubs replaced religion as a “go to”.
Religion (Catholic and Protestants) was replaced by football, musicians in the 1980’s/1990’s.
1990’s
Introduction of the mobile phone. It was a slow beginning because of cost but by 2000 was a “must have item”.
Also, the computer developed quickly with new functions each year after a relatively slow start from the late 1970’s.
2000’s
2000’s ushered in a new millennial.
Between 1980 to 2000 a lot of money was made by business. Both large public companies and small businesses prospered particularly in the 1990’s.
People were much more honest – sold many goods and services on the basis that you could pay later. There was very little bad debt. Money was in almost all cases made good. But in the 2000’s things changed. Two income families were essential for just surviving as a family and money became understood by society as the means for uplifting the quality of life.
Women entered the workforce in jobs which supplemented the income of the husband or partner.
2010 – present
Drugs in all levels of society increased significantly. Policing changed from acting “discretionary” to “mandatory” – from being “proactive” to “reactive”. Police today are not sufficiently educated to be discretionary. Weak and poor leadership throughout this period to the present.
Hence law and order became a big social issue over this time and continues to be to the present with significant increases in burglaries, murders, thefts and breaches of the law generally.
There is also corruption and dishonest practice within the Victorian Police force – the gangland murders in Victoria from early 2000 to 2010, the Nicola Gobbo fiasco, the mandatory enforcement of laws rather than introducing a “warning” system particularly with driving offences and misdemeanours and the legalising of drugs with fines that are significantly less than minor traffic infringements today.
The same applies to local municipalities – over this time they moved from “providing a helping hand” approach to “cannot be done” or “pay money”. Neither is conductive to having a good strong feeling of community.
Society has become a me me society – everything for his or herself. Massive increase in dishonest and corrupt conduct. This commenced in the early 2000’s. (New York twin towers atrocity on September 11, 2001). At about the same time bank CEO’s in Australia were paid massive salary and bonus increases in line with net business profit and the like. This over time has permeated through all businesses in Australia.
Money has become a god – a sole god for many people. The mobile phone, laptops and the internet and social media have become the “go to” life activity where the “follower brigade” has become “obsessed” with celebrities and influencers in society generally and with advisors, consultants and spin doctors in politics today.
Work today now has two types of worker:
A worker consumed by work and who derives satisfaction from the job.
A worker who only works to earn as much money as possible and who derives no or only a very limited satisfaction from the job. Technology has made life easier for this group.
Society Attitudes
Today compared to the recent past we live particularly in the cities with a much faster lifestyle. Less respect for others and less honesty in relationships which are not as long or loyal or strong as in the past. We want something and we want it now.
Respect for other people has reduced. Likewise trust and loyalty to people. Mental illness has increased enormously (stress, PTSD and the like). This is directly related to job and job dissatisfaction and the need and desire for money by individuals and families.