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Against the Tide
B. A. Santamaria has been a unique force in Australian politics for over forty years. In 1941, as a member of the National Secretariat of Catholic Action, he was approached by sections of the Australian Labor Party leadership in Victoria to organize a struggle against Communist penetration of the trade unions. Backed by the united Hierarchy of the Catholic Church, Santamaria organized the 'Movement', along lines parallel to those of the Communists themselves. The 'Movement' was the main energizing force behind the Industrial Groups, which the ALP formed to combat Communism within ALP branches and the unions.
By 1954 Santamaria and the Industrial Groups had together wrested leadership of the Labor machine from the Communists, and restored that machine to Labor hands. But their activities had unleashed a powerful backlash of anti-Catholic feeling latent in Australian society, which Dr Evatt was to exploit when, after the election that cost him the prime ministership, he launched his attack on the Industrial Groups. This plunged the party into the most destructive faction fight of its entire history—a fight that was to split the ALP and give birth to the Democratic Labor Party; to keep the ALP out of national office for eighteen years; and to involve more Australians in political affairs than ever before, by arousing sectarian passions that for many are still raw to the memory.
In these political memoirs B. A. Santamaria analyses the issues involved in the Split and identifies one that has not been discussed before: the struggle within the Catholic Church, when a section of the Australian Hierarchy—at the very moment of Evatt's attack—aligned itself against the Movement.
As one actively engaged, he also presents his account of Australian politics in the sixties and seventies; the Catholic Church post-Vatican II; and his views on defence, foreign and economic policy and family issues.
As director of the National Civic Council and Australia's most prominent Catholic layman and intellectual, B. A. Santamaria is an important opinion leader whose activities as ideologue, organizer and spokesman have involved him in controversy throughout his career.
By 1954 Santamaria and the Industrial Groups had together wrested leadership of the Labor machine from the Communists, and restored that machine to Labor hands. But their activities had unleashed a powerful backlash of anti-Catholic feeling latent in Australian society, which Dr Evatt was to exploit when, after the election that cost him the prime ministership, he launched his attack on the Industrial Groups. This plunged the party into the most destructive faction fight of its entire history—a fight that was to split the ALP and give birth to the Democratic Labor Party; to keep the ALP out of national office for eighteen years; and to involve more Australians in political affairs than ever before, by arousing sectarian passions that for many are still raw to the memory.
In these political memoirs B. A. Santamaria analyses the issues involved in the Split and identifies one that has not been discussed before: the struggle within the Catholic Church, when a section of the Australian Hierarchy—at the very moment of Evatt's attack—aligned itself against the Movement.
As one actively engaged, he also presents his account of Australian politics in the sixties and seventies; the Catholic Church post-Vatican II; and his views on defence, foreign and economic policy and family issues.
As director of the National Civic Council and Australia's most prominent Catholic layman and intellectual, B. A. Santamaria is an important opinion leader whose activities as ideologue, organizer and spokesman have involved him in controversy throughout his career.
382 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1981
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 31, 2019
My wife chose this book for us to read together. I didn't know anything about B.A. Santamaria while she was already aware and somewhat interested in him. In a nutshell, Santamaria's memoirs primarily talk about his efforts alongside certain members of the Australian Labor Party to fend off communism, which, in the 40s and 50s, was surprisingly a reasonable threat in Australia. As the communists - or, more appropriately, communist sympathizers and agents - infiltrated the workers unions, the Labor party was eventually divided between those who wanted a revolution and those with more conservative preferences.
This initially interesting premise and occasional moment of insight, however, is not enough to save the book from tedium. There is very little provided in regards to Santamaria's personal life, which makes his struggles, ambitions and motivation harder to really get behind. The book is all politics, mostly justification of certain failures he endured and otherwise just a great big information dump of topical facts that do not matter no interest a modern reader.
It's one of those books, I'm afraid, I am glad I read, solely for the reason that I don't ever have to do so again.
This initially interesting premise and occasional moment of insight, however, is not enough to save the book from tedium. There is very little provided in regards to Santamaria's personal life, which makes his struggles, ambitions and motivation harder to really get behind. The book is all politics, mostly justification of certain failures he endured and otherwise just a great big information dump of topical facts that do not matter no interest a modern reader.
It's one of those books, I'm afraid, I am glad I read, solely for the reason that I don't ever have to do so again.
December 11, 2013
Read this two decades back. An insightful read and view of Australian politics. Interestingly, BA managed to describe his career and actions in such a self-deprecating fashion that he is almost invisible, seemingly, things happened around him—very unusual in a political figure. Also, his English, sometimes painfully correct. Cannot say that I agree with his C view of the world, but he was there. An interesting chap.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews