Australia was Born Capitalist Indeed Capitalism came with
Capitalism is based on a system of economic organisation characterised by the private ownership of the means of production including land, tools and materials. It is where the accumulation of market-based control over the production and distribution of goods and services is placed into the hands of a few people known as the private sector. Australia, was a product of the then dominant capitalist power, Britain, and with this came its economic structure. Among several significant reasons, the motivation for the colonial settlement of Australia, like that of India, North America and parts of Africa, was to encourage Britain's expansion. However, in this instance, there was no pre-capitalist period of European Australian history. There was no peasantry in Australia, no pre-industrial inheritance to modify or to hinder growth - virtually giving the settlers a blank slate to develop for trade and pursue any means for profit, on their own, by their own hand, without access to indentured or other local labour. Therefore, one can propose the question, is capitalism conceived by individuals, or by the society in which they live? Basically, as with most political structures, the Capitalist structure of power produced capitalist ways
Consequently, such a view suggests capitalism is the cause of behaviours. What developed was an emerging problem in the capitalist structure. In clearing the crowded gaols, producing raw materials and supplying food for the city-dwellers of the old land, Australia played an important role in the grand scheme of British industrialism. The officers would purchase produce from themselves first at a premium, forcing the free settlers to accept discount prices for their crops if they were to sell it. "All around it was necessary to make money, make it honestly if you can, but above all make money". Australia was born capitalist, not simply through the actions of the officers and wealthy emancipist, but by the environment that was created for them to exploit. By 1800 the officers' monopoly had begun to disintegrate. The officers were also responsible for pushing back the frontiers of settlement, which ensured employment for emancipists and convicts. Until 1798 the commissariat purchased all grain offered to it, by both the officers and free settlers, even when supply exceeded demand. Together this group of people accompanied by the wealthy officers developed the private sector and took control of the means of production. Alternatively, one could say that capitalist thinking prompted structures that supported it and subsequently, the structures were the effect, not the cause of capitalism. The rebellion of 1808 against Governor Bligh could not have been caused by a desire to protect a monopoly in rum because such a monopoly had ceased to exist after 1800. Consequently, those who greatly benefited early from these opportunities were the officers; consisting of military staff, civil officials such as the commissary and assistants there, superintendents of government concerns, surgeons, clerics and the like; who were virtually operating a cartel. Likewise, what ruined many small settlers was government action (or inaction), poor farming techniques, inflation, floods, droughts and poor soils. The Australian society was at a very early stage becoming a capitalist and commercial society.
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Acceptance Essays
