John Quelch: When will Australia break the habit of sucking its thumb whilst clutching the imperial coat tail?

Jul 25, 2022
Raised hands coloured with the Australian flag
Image: iStock

We need to develop the habit of thinking independently in our own national interests.

Which western country has:

  • ‌the highest imprisonment rate in the world (5x higher than its nearest competitor)?
  • ‌the greatest wealth disparity in the history of humankind?
  • ‌failed to protect even the most basic human rights of its minorities, migrants, women, its poor, homeless and working people?
  • ‌Illegally, interfered in, and abused the human rights of numerous independent countries in Asia, Latin America & the M.E. which directly & indirectly caused the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent civilians through its myriad illegal, military interventions since WWII? ‌
  • Insists on ruthlessly imposing its vision of the so-called, ‘rules-based international order’ on all countries that refuse to kowtow to its global economic and military hegemony? ‘Our rules, our game, no peer competitor will be tolerated
  • ‌a febrile democracy is on the verge of collapse which will, more than likely, see the rise of some form of authoritarian neo-fascist state in the very near future?

I believe you all know of which country I speak.

Why then, would a country like Australia, that still has a reasonably intact form of liberal democracy want to continue to hitch our domestic & foreign policy future to such a degraded, decadent world power?

Why have we completely surrendered our independence of thought & action and possibly the very future of our democracy to a failing imperial empire?

Unfortunately, whilst it’s still early days, it seems that Marles is bent on continuing the very same policy of total fealty and submissiveness to US interests established by the Dutton and the LNP.

If Australia continues down this path, the dying hegemon is likely to drag us down with it. As its democracy is snuffed out, and, in its rage at losing its grip on world power escalates, it may well be tempted to stake the entire fate of humanity on its continuing grip on global power.

Time to demand of our government a much more independent foreign policy!

That certainly does not mean we need to kowtow to China, Japan, India or any other world power.

We need to emulate NZ, Singapore, Malaysia and other ASEAN allies with their much more independent foreign and domestic political agendas.

We need to develop the habit of thinking independently in our own national interests, basing our domestic and foreign policies firmly on democratic and humanitarian values as espoused by the United Nations.

I believe Australians are intelligent and skilful enough to chart our own way through the dangerous shoals of international trade & foreign policy doing what’s in our own best interests rather than being completely subservient to narrow vested interests of a now, highly dangerous, degenerate imperial power that we hitched our wagon to over seven decades ago.

Well past time for an unhitching, me thinks!

John Quelch -Teacher, Social Worker, Community Development Worker, community activist, proud crossing supervisor

Share and Enjoy !

Subscribe to John Menadue's Newsletter
Subscribe to John Menadue's Newsletter

 

Thank you for subscribing!