Imperial theory and colonial pragmatism : Charles Harper, economic development and agricultural co-operation in Australia

This book considers the role played by co-operative agriculture as a critical economic model which, in Australia, helped build public capital, drive economic development and impact political arrangements. In the case of colonial Western Australia, the story of agricultural co-operation is inseparable from that of the story of Charles Harper. Harper was a self-starting, pioneering frontiersman who became a political, commercial and agricultural leader in the British Empire’s most isolated colony during the second half of the Victorian era. He was convinced of the successful economic future of Western Australia but also pragmatic enough to appreciate that the unique challenges facing the colony were only going to be resolved by the application of unorthodox thinking. Using Harper’s life as a foil, this book examines Imperial economic thinking in relation to the co-operative form of economic organisation, the development of public capital, and socialism. It uses this discussion to demonstrate the transfer of socialistic ideas from the centre of the Empire to the farthest reaches of the Antipodes where they were used to provide a rhetorical crutch in support of purely pragmatic co-operative establishments. Book Abstracts 7 Contents 8 1: The Long Stagnation 10 Western Australian Economic Growth and the Role of Co-operation 12 The Imperial Inheritance and Pragmatic Co-operation 19 The Organisation of This Book 22 Bibliography 26 Theses 26 Secondary Sources 26 2: Visions of English Co-operation in the Victorian Age: Western Australia’s Intellectual Inheritance 31 The Fault-Lines in Co-operative Thinking and Practice 32 Utopianism Versus Pragmatism 34 The Goals of Co-operation 36 Robert Owen (1771–1858) and the Co-operative Ideal 39 Owen’s Co-operative Vision: Transformation of Society and “Mutable Man” 43 Authoritarianism, Paternalism or Democracy 46 Structure of Owen’s Co-operative Enterprise 47 Concluding Comments 48 John Malcolm Forbes Ludlow (1821–1911) and Christian Socialism 49 Ludlow’s Co-operative Vision: Transformation of Society and “Mutable Man” 51 Authoritarianism, Paternalism or Democracy 52 Structure of Ludlow’s Co-operative Enterprises 54 Concluding Comments 55 J.S. Mill (1806–1873) and Liberal Socialism 57 Mill’s Co-operative Vision: Transformation of Society and “Mutable Man” 58 Authoritarianism, Paternalism or Democracy 60 Structure of Mill’s Co-operative Enterprises 61 Concluding Comments 63 J.T.W. Mitchell (1828–1895) and the Ascendency of Consumer Co-operation 63 Mitchell’s Co-operative Vision: Transformation of Society and “Mutable Man” 65 Authoritarianism, Paternalism or Democracy 66 Structure of Mitchell’s Co-operative Enterprises 68 Concluding Comments 69 Bibliography 73 Secondary Sources 73 3: Imperial Demands, Local Imperatives 79 The Reticence of the Colonial Office 84 Fundamental Elements—Migration 86 Fundamental Elements—Land Alienation in the Settler Colonies 88 Concluding Remarks 90 Bibliography 92 Theses 92 Secondary Sources 92 4: Charles Harper—A Life 95 Colonial Elitism 98 Harper’s Earliest Years 101 A Pioneering Bachelorhood 104 Settling Down 108 A Man of Business 110 Politics 113 The Changing Times 123 Religious and Civic Contributions 126 Dark Deeds in a Sunny Land 131 A Life in Service 134 Bibliography 142 Theses 142 Secondary Sources 143 5: Bending Co-operation to the Western Australian Economic Problem 149 Harper and Countervailing Power 153 Co-operative-Based Countervailing Power and Government Financial and Legislative Support 154 Maintaining and Improving the Standard of Living 158 Government Monopolies and Government Legislative Support for Industry 159 Co-operatives Interposed Between Government and Agriculture 161 The Many Forms of Government Aid to Co-operative Enterprises 162 Concluding Remarks 167 Bibliography 169 Theses 169 Secondary Sources 170 6: Australian Colonial Socialism in Word and Deed: The Socialisation of Economic Problems in Colonial Australia 171 An Australian Form of Colonial Socialism 173 Charles Harper and Colonial Socialism in Western Australia 181 Solving the Transport Problem 185 Refrigeration and the Marketability of Produce 189 Providing Financial Support for Agriculturalists 192 Government Support for the Fertiliser Trade 198 Government Support for Infant Industries 200 The Bureau of Agriculture and Government-­Sponsored Training 204 Concluding Remarks 206 Bibliography 212 Theses 212 Secondary Sources 213 7: A Step Too Far: Western Australian State Socialism (1912–1930) 216 The Western Australian Economy: 1912–1930 217 Pragmatic Co-operation 222 Colonial Socialism 227 Countervailing Power 231 Conclusion 233 Bibliography 236 Secondary Sources 236 Bibliography 238 Newspapers & Periodicals 238 Primary Sources (Abbreviations Used in Text) 239 Theses 239 Secondary Sources 240 Index 262 This book considers the role played by co-operative agriculture as a critical economic model which, in Australia, helped build public capital, drive economic development and impact political arrangements. In the case of colonial Western Australia, the story of agricultural co-operation is inseparable from that of the story of Charles Harper. Harper was a self-starting, pioneering frontiersman who became a political, commercial and agricultural leader in the British Empire's most isolated colony during the second half of the Victorian era. He was convinced of the successful economic future of Western Australia but also pragmatic enough to appreciate that the unique challenges facing the colony were only going to be resolved by the application of unorthodox thinking. Using Harper's life as a foil, this book examines Imperial economic thinking in relation to the co-operative form of economic organisation, the development of public capital, and socialism. It uses this discu ssion to demonstrate the transfer of socialistic ideas from the centre of the Empire to the farthest reaches of the Antipodes where they were used to provide a rhetorical crutch in support of purely pragmatic co-operative establishments Front Matter ....Pages i-x The Long Stagnation (David J. Gilchrist)....Pages 1-21 Visions of English Co-operation in the Victorian Age: Western Australia’s Intellectual Inheritance (David J. Gilchrist)....Pages 23-70 Imperial Demands, Local Imperatives (David J. Gilchrist)....Pages 71-86 Charles Harper—A Life (David J. Gilchrist)....Pages 87-140 Bending Co-operation to the Western Australian Economic Problem (David J. Gilchrist)....Pages 141-162 Australian Colonial Socialism in Word and Deed: The Socialisation of Economic Problems in Colonial Australia (David J. Gilchrist)....Pages 163-207 A Step Too Far: Western Australian State Socialism (1912–1930) (David J. Gilchrist)....Pages 209-230 Back Matter ....Pages 231-267