Book Reviews Book Reviews

different historical cases is a valuable The Fuss That Never Ended: Some of the criticism is tacitly supplement to the book. There is also The Life and Work of Geoffrey acknowledged as philosophical a subject index. Blainey difference. However, annoyingly, The book demonstrates that Edited by Deborah much of it becomes a critique of inflation is a man-made phenomenon Gare, Geoffrey Bolton, Blainey’s value as a historian for and therefore can be undone by Stuart Macintyre and the heinous crime of failing to human action. Politicians and Tom Stannage appreciate the centrality of each central bankers, who claim to be Melbourne University Press, writer’s historical specialty to the overwhelmed by some supernatural 2003, 236 pp, $39.95 telling of the Australian story. What power and are helpless in the face of ISBN 0522 85034 0 seems to escape these historians is inflation, only reveal that they lack that, while the topics to which they the will to create that most precious n 1994, a book of essays about have devoted such study may have of social assets: sound money. Ione of Australia’s two most famous merit, it is not compulsory that they For the benefit of the general and influential historians appeared. be given a central place in everybody reader, formal models are kept to Edited by Carl Bridge, Manning else’s work. a minimum; they are, moreover, Clark: Essays On His Place in History The great irony is, of course, that asterixed and can be skipped without is an excellent collection of well- Blainey’s writings have covered a far losing the thread of the argument. written and insightful perspectives broader canvas than the writers of To enliven reading, observations by on Clark. these contributions put together. men of letters are cited in boxes, from Now, nine years later, a similar Rowse provides an insight into contemporary writers like Stefan exercise has been undertaken why the collectivist historians do Zweig and Ernest Hemingway to for the other of our two highest not like Blainey: classics like Aristophanes. As these profile historians, Geoffrey Blainey. He (Blainey) prefers to people people are complete economic Unfortunately the results are not as his histories with men and laymen, their evidence is sometimes good. women of entrepreneurial more convincing than any The Fuss That Never Ended is vigour, whether they be econometric evidence. an off-shoot of a symposium held humble ‘cockies’ or great men Monetary Regimes and Inflation in Melbourne in November 2000. and women of business. can be highly recommended to The book’s introduction neither anybody interested in inflation explains why the book had such Most of us might and its manifold economic, social a long gestation period or, more think this was a good and political surroundings and importantly, why Blainey’s own thing, but for Rowse consequences. This book by one of the ‘lengthy paper’ from the symposium this is a self-evident world’s leading scholars on monetary is not reproduced here. flaw. inflation and the institutional settings Those who read Peter Ryan’s The other eight for money creation is a mine of acerbic Weekend Australian review essays are better information not only for students, would conclude that the whole balanced. The three but also for economists, historians, purpose of this book was to tear senior historians political scientists and sociologists; down Blainey. Ryan overstates the Stuart McIntyre, it is of relevance also for bankers, case but, undoubtedly, the exercise Graeme Davison businessmen and politicians. does suffer from including far too and Geoffrey Bolton many diatribes on topics which are contribute the first Reviewed by the pre-occupations of the academic three essays and all Gerard Radnitzky Left. appear to be trying Six of the 14 essays are essentially hard to find nice things to say about ideological attacks on Blainey for his someone they have known for a long alleged failures on Aboriginal issues time. (Tim Rowse); the environment (Tom Davison, importantly, draws Griffiths); gender (Joanne Scott); attention to how matters like British imperialism (Deborah Gare); technology and religion have been labour history (Charlie Cox); and handled in Blainey’s work and also race (Andrew Markus). pays tribute to the quality of Blainey’s

58 Vol. 19 No. 2 • Winter 2003 • Policy Policy • Vol. 19 No. 2 • Winter 2003 59 Book Reviews Book Reviews

writing style. ‘His histories are full Also the book is expensive: $39.95 same as those of Malcolm Fraser of vivid, memorable portraits of for a paperback of under 200 pages PM and earlier. Which is to say, I interesting human beings, both of text. am prepared to believe that a deep humble and great’. Blainey’s ‘lucid The book does, at least, provide inconsistency and incoherence has prose and deft character sketches’ an excellent bibliography of Blainey’s continually marked Malcolm Fraser’s are also acknowledged in Bridget work. Ironically, this only serves to political thinking and rhetoric. Griffen-Foley’s empathetic piece on underline the fact that a historian Thus, the Malcolm Fraser of Blainey’s corporate histories. as prolific and as important to Common Ground is happy to talk the While critical of aspects of Australians’ understanding of their classical liberal talk: citing Locke et Blainey’s work in the field, Ian place in the world as Geoffrey Blainey al. and making it clear he thinks, and Hodges piece on Blainey’s war studies deserves something more substantial has always thought that socialism is a is a well-rounded contribution. Tom than these slim pickings. completely wrongheaded approach. Stannage praises Blainey for always This is fine, until one starts looking remembering to include sport in Reviewed by Richard Allsop at what he specifically complains the telling of the Australian story, about, what he endorses, what he something which was often omitted fails to mention, and what he states by other historians. Stannage also or implies is needed. provides a nice little character For example, he complains study of Blainey by providing two about the allegedly increased power anecdotes, one of which shows of corporations and how dangerous Blainey’s lack of pretension and the this is. Now, anyone who has dealt other his generosity towards those seriously with modern corporations with whom he has had professional knows that they are remarkably disagreements. Common Ground: timid beasts, by and large. Nothing Clearly a book on ‘The Life and Issues That Should Bind Us surprising in this. They are in Work of Geoffrey’ would not have and Not Divide Us business to make a profit. They have had the word ‘fuss’ in the title if Malcolm Fraser to get consent for their income on a it were not for the controversy he Viking, Penguin Australia, weekly, daily, even hourly basis. sparked in 1984 with his comments Melbourne, 2002, Moreover, in societies where on Asian immigration. Morag Fraser 266pp, $35 corporations are thicker on the writes an intelligent piece on Blainey’s ISBN 067 004 027 ground, people are richer and freer. career as a controversialist. Where corporations are thinner on The book is rounded off by alcolm Fraser insists that, really, the ground, people are poorer and four venerable historians all putting Mhis views haven’t changed, it is more oppressed. A little more digging their perspectives into a piece which just that other people have moved into the figures exposes the fact that looks at the Melbourne School of around him. It is a slightly odd large corporations tend to pay History. This was not delivered at argument from a former politician above average wages, and not only the symposium and, while it has whose post-politics writings and in developed economies. Socialist merit, it seems slightly out of place. statements have been marked by countries have and had much worse Perhaps if the editors had solicited criticism of his successors for being environmental records than liberal one longer piece on this issue it may ‘too conservative’. After all, failing to capitalist states. So, corporations have gelled better. change with the times is a criticism are hardly plausible villains for the It is a positive development that usually directed to people for being, serious ills of the world. the symposium was held and that well, too conservative. Denouncing corporations is, on now the book published. Blainey has It is, after all, possible that the one level, a conservative move (since an important place in our intellectual general debate has moved on as a corporations are at the forefront of life and, whether one shares his world result of learning and experience. much of the ‘creative destruction’ view or not, he deserves detailed A point made all the more striking of capitalism) and, at another, a critical analysis. as the virtue of such learning and collectivist one (since, if corporations However, overall this is a poorly experience is one of the reasons Fraser are such a problem, clearly the state put together and disappointing book. cites for not being conservative. must be more active to restrain Even comparatively minor points like I am prepared to believe that the them). It is not a particularly liberal the absence of chapter numbers add attitudes of the Malcolm Fraser on one—not in the classical liberal sense to the reader’s sense of frustration. display in Common Ground are the of the word.

60 Vol. 19 No. 2 • Winter 2003 • Policy Policy • Vol. 19 No. 2 • Winter 2003 61