"The committed federalist leaders—Parkes, Deakin, Griffith, Barton, Inglis Clark and others—were pursuing a sacred ideal of nationhood. They can be thought of as both selfish and pure. Selfish, in that the chief force driving them was the new identity and greater stature they would enjoy—either as colonists or natives—from Australia’s nationhood. Pure, in that the benefit they sought did not depend on the particular form federation took. In a sense any federation would do. They knew of course that interests had to be conciliated and other ideals not outraged; they shared some of these themselves. But they were not mere managers or lobbyists; underneath all the negotiation and campaigning there was an emotional drive."
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ColumnistsAcademics from AustraliaHistorians from AustraliaPeople from AdelaidePolitical commentators from Australia
Original Language: English
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John Hirst
John Bradley Hirst FASSA (9 July 1942 – 3 February 2016) was an Australian historian, academic and commentator.
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