“A giant of his time.”
It is the perfect way to describe the former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam, who passed away yesterday. He was a man who had a great impact on the psyche of the country - one who inspired an entire generation. Yesterday, we lost a great politician - potentially our last.
As we reflect on Whitlam’s legacy it is worth asking the question, what happened to our politics? Despite some glimpses - the hope that came with the election of Kevin Rudd in 2007, for example - Australian politics has seen no one like Gough since he was sacked from office. The inspiration of his time is distant, with our politics and politicians caught in a deep malaise. As former Howard Minister ruefully Philip Ruddock commented: “I'm not sure there are many Gough Whitlams in the Parliament today”.
“The desire for ‘great politicians’ is simply a desire for a member of the elite who can make us feel better about business coming ahead of all others. Great politicians are great because they make us feel good about the elite coming first - a greatness we should not want anymore.”
I doubt many would disagree with Ruddock. Politics has never been more cynical, and politicians hardly ever more unpopular. In doing so, many are desperately hoping a new Gough will emerge soon. A new hope to get us out of our malaise. I can’t help but think that we will never find one, and that necessarily isn’t a bad thing.
Our current unravelling is due to a deep crisis in our politics. Our political class is losing the authority it needs to survive, as the realities of who they represent are becoming more real. Recent ICAC hearings and donations scandals have highlighted this best - politicians who are wholly embedded in the interests of the 1%. Our politicians represent the interests of capital and business over the interests of people.
Many have been ready to blame this crisis on a few ‘bad eggs’. The ‘faceless men (and women)’ of the ALP who became more concerned about power than principles. Those in the Coalition who have become too connected with the big end of town. All that is needed is to weed out the corrupt politicians and for a return of a principled, Gough-like figure. But the political crisis is much deeper than that.
This unraveling is an exposure of a problem that is inherent within our political system. Our state, based in capitalist society, is one that is deeply connected to business interests — interests that outweigh those of the general population. In capitalism the state is there to support capital, not people. Despite his massive social reforms, we can even see this in the Whitlam Government. Whitlam was extremely ‘pro-business’, implementing many anti-worker policies in his term. His social reforms were grand, but when it came to the crunch, business interests came first.
This is the reality of politics. What has happened in recent years is this reality has become clearer. We have seen an exposure of our politicians interests — an exposure caused by the breakdown of the social bases that politicians such as Gough Whitlam have relied on for years. The Labor movement, for example, has seen a significant drop in membership and influence over recent decades. This movement provided an important base for the ALP to manage its political representation — the movement provided ‘social cover’ for politicians’ business interests. The growth of neoliberalism, and the ‘anti-society’ approach to it, has seen many of these bases break down - social bases that politicians needed to hold up their authority. As they have collapsed so has the authority of our political class, and the popularity that came with that.
That is how Gough became the last great politician of our time. He was the last great politician before this political crisis kicked in - a degeneration that doesn’t look likely to be disappearing any time soon.
While some may mourn this, I don't think we should. Under our current political system we cannot expect another Gough, nor should we want one. Another politician like him would simply cover up the realities of politics today - the realities of a system designed to favour the elite at the expense of everyone else.
What we need is a movement of people who can change that system - not hope for a saviour within it. The desire for ‘great politicians’ is simply a desire for a member of the elite who can make us feel better about business coming ahead of all others. Great politicians are great because they make us feel good about the elite coming first - a greatness we should not want anymore.
Gough was a great politician. He should be remembered for many of the great things he did. Within this system he did manage to achieve some real change.
But instead of hoping for another one like him, I’m hoping for something a little more substantial.
Simon Copland is a freelance writer and climate campaigner. He is a regular columnist for the Sydney Star Observer and blogs at The Moonbat.
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