Abstract
Debate about the membership of the New Guard, Australia's proto-fascist organization of the interwar years, has been strongly influenced by Humphrey McQueen's 'Social character of the New Guard', first published in Arena, more than a quarter of a century ago. In this article McQueen was at pains to rescue the class basis of the New Guard. For McQueen the New Guard was not a cross class movement of returned soldiers but comprised 'the bourgeoisie and its class allies'; it was 'a father and son movement of the bourgeoisie and petit-bourgeoisie'. This paper revisits McQueen's analysis of the membership of the New Guard. In particular it focuses on the question of working-class involvement with the New Guard. After examining several case studies of individual branches it identifies prominent trade unionists who crossed the ideological divide into Australian fascism.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Transforming Labour: Work, Workers, Struggle and Change: Proceedings of the Eighth National Labour History Conference held at College of Art, Griffith University, South Bank, Brisbane, 3-5 October 2003 |
| Publisher | Brisbane Labour History Association |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| ISBN (Print) | 0646423533 |
| Publication status | Published - 2003 |
| Event | National Labour History Conference - Duration: 15 Sept 2011 → … |
Conference
| Conference | National Labour History Conference |
|---|---|
| Period | 15/09/11 → … |
Keywords
- New Guard (Australia)
- industrial relations
- labor movement
- New South Wales
- paramilitary forces
- fascism