Class and Struggle in Australia

Class and struggle in Australia provides an integrated and coherent Marxist account of fundamental features of Australian politics and society that also addresses rival explanations. It is written for those without a background in political science or sociology in a lively and accessible style. The introduction establishes a framework for understanding Australian society. It emphasises that classes are not only objective aspects of society but are also capable of subjective action. How they behave and consciousness of them is shaped by peoples experience, especially of social struggles.The first chapters examine the capitalist class, the working class, their most important institutions and the place of students in the class structure. Later chapters deal with the treatment of women, homosexuals and racial groups, and struggles against their oppression. Conflicts over Australian foreign policy and the environment are discussed in the final chapters. The authors of the chapters have all been involved in studying the relevant issues and political activity over them for prolonged periods.The editor, Rick Kuhn, offers courses on Australian and international political economy, fascism and anti-fascism, imperialism and classical Marxism, at the Australian National University. With Tom OLincoln he edited Class and class conflict in Australia. He has published numerous articles, recently on issues in Australian political economy and the work of the Marxist economist Henryk Grossman. At the height of the anti-war movement in 2003 he was the convenor of its umbrella group in Canberra, the ACT Network Opposing War. He is an activist in the National Tertiary Education Union and Socialist Alternative. Class and struggle in Australia draws on Dr Kuhns years of experience as a teacher, researcher, teacher and political activist.