The Experience of Middle Australia: The Dark Side of Economic Reform

by Michael Pusey

• ISBN13: 9780521651219
• ISBN10: 0521651212
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-06-23
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

This book puts middle Australia under the microscope, examining how quality of life is faring in the face of change and uncertainty. 400 Australians from around the country shared their experiences of work, family, and community for this book, creating a striking picture of Australian society into a new millennium. This lived experience is set against hard data so that we can truly understand the impact - good and bad - of economic restructuring on the broad Australian middle class. Meticulously researched, it mounts a moral and intellectual counter-argument to economic reform. A sequel to the best-selling Economic Rationalism in Canberra, Michael Pusey's new book will be equally important.

Author Biography

Michael Pusey is presently Honorary Visiting Professor at the University of New South Wales.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations	xi
Preface	xiii
Abbreviations	xvii
Chapter 1 The Experience of Economic Reform	1	(18)
Middle Australia: Why does it matter?	3	(4)
Economic reform: Where did it come from?	7	(3)
Who are the reformers?	10	(2)
Warnings?	12	(2)
Approach and method	14	(5)
Chapter 2 Incomes and Their Meanings	19	(28)
What's happened to incomes of the broad middle?	21	(4)
Feeling the pinch?	25	(4)
Does middle Australia know what is happening to its income?	29	(3)
Winners and losers?	32	(4)
Is it fair? The latent politics of income distribution	36	(8)
Pointers and conclusions	44	(3)
Chapter 3 Jobs, Work and Fairness in the Wake of Labour Market Reform	47	(29)
What? More labour market reform?	49	(4)
Two angry middle Australias?	53	(9)
A double assault on the willing?	62	(5)
Looking for the culprits	67	(7)
Conclusion	74	(2)
Chapter 4 working Families: Struggling with the Costs of Reform	76	(35)
It's hurting ...	76	(4)
Families caught in the middle	80	(4)
Women, work, rights and choices	84	(8)
Lost restraints, lost disciplines and invidious choices	92	(9)
Family experience across the generations	101	(6)
Conclusions and pointers	107	(4)
Chapter 5 Civil Society and Communities	111	(27)
The breakdown of community?	113	(6)
Social capital and volunteering	119	(2)
The structure of society: recognition, denial and egalitarian aspiration	121	(5)
The media	126	(6)
Trust	132	(3)
Conclusions	135	(3)
Chapter 6 Politics, Power and Institutions	138	(30)
The power of big business	141	(6)
Institutional 'reform'	147	(7)
Towards active government?	154	(5)
Who is to blame?	159	(3)
In conclusion and with hindsight ...	162	(6)
Chapter 7 Judgements on Economic Reform	168	(18)
Time	170	(2)
Globalisation	172	(2)
Practical moralities	174	(4)
Legitimacy (and trust)	178	(4)
Finally ...	182	(4)
Appendix A: Chronology of Economic Reform	186	(8)
Appendix B: Methods and Procedures: Middle Australia Project	194	(3)
Appendix C: Supplementary Tables	197	(7)
Appendix D: Income and Equivalent Household Income	204	(4)
Notes	208	(32)
Index	240