The Australasian Character

Abstract

The nature of the settlement of Australia and New Zealand created, in the first half of this century, a society marked by its homogeneity. In the last quarter-century the range of alternatives has been widened and both countries have taken on the attributes of all modern economically developed nations. As a result, the images of the past have become de creasingly relevant to the contemporary way of life. However, the national identity of both countries is strongly developed and the institutional structure well established. Although many strains are likely to be apparent in the social structure over the next decades, it is difficult to foresee any fundamental shift in the character of the two countries.