Overview

In the state-run prison that was early New South Wales, pockets of capitalism sprang up like sturdy weeds. with them came wage labour and class struggle. Australian workers were organisiing well before the gold rushes, and later a mass labour movement confronted the employers across the continent, opening the way for bitter confrontations. Controversy surrounds the colonial labour movement because of its racism and sexism, but this book sheets home the main blame for both reactionary ideologies to the ruling class. And despite many criticism, the author renews pioneering labour historian Brian Fitzpatrick's argument that 'the effort of the organised working class...was an effort to achieve social justice'.

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9780645253573

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Reviews

'This book uncovers new aspects to Australia's history of struggle, and offers interesting and provocative interpretations. Just as important, it tells an engrossing story, which makes for lively reading.' - Verity Burgmann, labour historian, trade unionist and author 'United We Stand provides a vivid and immensely readable account of class struggle in Australia between 1788 to 1900. It was and remains an important contribution that shows how worker organisation and resistance shaped the country and one that incorporates race and gender dimensions in a nuanced way. Tom O'Lincoln has provided us with a masterfully short book traversing a large subject. It is a fitting legacy to his longstanding efforts on behalf of working people and we are in his debt.' - Michael Quinlan, Emeritus Professor of Industrial Relations, University of New South Wales

Author Information

Tom O'Lincoln joined the radical student movement in Germany in 1967 and was subsequently a socialist organiser, unionist, linguist, educator and journalist. As an activist, Tom was a leading figure in the establishment and growth of the International Socialist political tendency in Australia. As a writer, Tom's work spanned several decades of commentary and analysis of government and working class politics. In longer publications, Tom's work covered political economy, Australian history and Marxist theory. His works include Into the Mainstream: The Decline of Australian Communism, Australia's Pacific War: Challenging a National Myth, The neighbour from hell: two centuries of Australian imperialism, and Years of Rage: Social Conflicts in the Fraser Era. His political memoirs, The Highway is for Gamblers, were published in 2017. Tom died in October 2023.

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