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The Sweet Spot
This book will change the way you think about your country... Australians now officially have the best living conditions in the world. Our country is both fair and free - and the only developed nation to have avoided a recession in the past twenty years. So how did it happen and why don't we care? In The Sweet Spot Peter Hartcher takes readers on a vastly entertaining and thought-provoking tour through Australian politics and history. He shows how a convict colony could have become a banana republic but didn't, how Australia came through the global financial crisis - it wasn't just the mining boom - and how we could now throw our success away if we don't recognise our strengths and demand true leadership of our politicians. Hartcher argues that Australia's prosperity was not built on dumb luck. In a time when the authoritarian success story of China is strong, Australia offers a better a democratic success story. Is it perfect? Of course not. But on some of the most important and apparently intractable problems of the modern world, Australia, believe it or not, is as good as it gets. And the beaches aren't bad either. Winner, 2012 Ashurst Business Literature Prize. Longlisted, 2012 Walkley Book Award.
298 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2011
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59 people want to read
About the author
Peter Hartcher
17 books8 followersPeter Hartcher is the political and international editor of The Sydney Morning Herald. His books include Bubble Man, The Sweet Spot and To the Bitter End. His first Quarterly Essay, Bipolar Nation, was published in 2007.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 2, 2021
I had this book sitting on my shelf for a few years, and was glad I finally picked it up. I lived in Australia through part of the era covered by one of the chapters, and it was around then I was just starting to think more about politics and government. Not long after, I found this book and bought it, also curious about any opinion about how one of the most isolated countries sits within the world.
Hartcher's book is excellent, and I enjoyed his history of the colony and the first 100 years of federation. I certainly learned a lot, not least that there was more to like about Bob Hawke than his beer-swilling antics. Hartcher puts forward a compelling argument for good government, and does not deny that Australia had it bad for the first 70 years. He also delves deep into the transition from good government to petty populism, which I remember watching as it unfurled, recalling my uneasiness over having to pick the "best of a bad bunch". Unfortunately this seems to be happening more and more around the world.
If you want to read about Australia as the quiet underachiever, and how they did it, without skipping over some dirty and sordid secrets, I recommend this book. Having read it 10 years after publishing, I am shocked that very little has changed in that time and so I would not consider it to be out-dated.
I refrained from giving it 5 stars because the final chapter is the weakest in my opinion, spending most of its chapters simply China-bashing and not really expanding on its title. But that's my only fault.
Hartcher's book is excellent, and I enjoyed his history of the colony and the first 100 years of federation. I certainly learned a lot, not least that there was more to like about Bob Hawke than his beer-swilling antics. Hartcher puts forward a compelling argument for good government, and does not deny that Australia had it bad for the first 70 years. He also delves deep into the transition from good government to petty populism, which I remember watching as it unfurled, recalling my uneasiness over having to pick the "best of a bad bunch". Unfortunately this seems to be happening more and more around the world.
If you want to read about Australia as the quiet underachiever, and how they did it, without skipping over some dirty and sordid secrets, I recommend this book. Having read it 10 years after publishing, I am shocked that very little has changed in that time and so I would not consider it to be out-dated.
I refrained from giving it 5 stars because the final chapter is the weakest in my opinion, spending most of its chapters simply China-bashing and not really expanding on its title. But that's my only fault.
October 10, 2012
This book makes a boring economic story interesting. Eminently readable, a broad brush complete history of the Australian political system from 1788 to 2011. It explains why Australians are doing well, why most Australians argue against this, and how we gain retain our prosperity. Even-handed treatment of Labor and Liberal. The final chapter on China sinks the boot right in. One fact sticks in my mind: the top executives of the largest five investment banks got $38 billion in bonuses the year before the GFC.
January 19, 2014
I've frequently enjoyed Peter Hartcher's articles in the Melbourne Age, so purchased this book. Very well written, clear, logical, balanced arguments. Well worth all Australians giving this a read, especially those who like to whinge about our country. Peter explains how it isn't luck nor the mining boom that has got us to where we are. He shows how the Australian people, including our politicians, have created a political, social, and economic model that is the best in the world for the well-being of our people. And so we must work at it to keep it thriving.
November 29, 2013
An excellent overview of Australia's economic success.
Covers history from the arrival of the first fleet up until the Rudd government. Explains how Australia's political and economic model has evolved and reasons for its prosperity. It also looks forwards to how Australia must carefully manage itself in an uncertain future.
Includes lots of information that all Australians should be aware of in understanding our past and the way in which our country is run. Highly recommended.
Covers history from the arrival of the first fleet up until the Rudd government. Explains how Australia's political and economic model has evolved and reasons for its prosperity. It also looks forwards to how Australia must carefully manage itself in an uncertain future.
Includes lots of information that all Australians should be aware of in understanding our past and the way in which our country is run. Highly recommended.
May 3, 2018
book #28 (and the final) for 2011! and what a perfect ending. if you've ever been interested in australia's lucky country tag, its economy, how we got to where we are today, why the rest of the world envies us, but yet we still just don't get it, this is a fantastic summary of the australian economic miralce .. and the 200 year journey to how we got here. great read
July 27, 2016
How Australia got prosperity and how it could loose it
Author argues that
• Australia is top on wealth and other indices
• It’s not by luck or other (geological, racial etc) advantages
• It’s a country with both fairness and economic freedom
Interesting:
• Example of equality – Howard and Rudd in a queue with other ordinary people outside toilet at SCG in 2007 (ch-3, p17)
Author argues that
• Australia is top on wealth and other indices
• It’s not by luck or other (geological, racial etc) advantages
• It’s a country with both fairness and economic freedom
Interesting:
• Example of equality – Howard and Rudd in a queue with other ordinary people outside toilet at SCG in 2007 (ch-3, p17)
Want to read
January 24, 2016On Australia blowing its chance of being the best economy in the world
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews