Friday, November 16, 2012

Rum, money & power - NSW history repeats itself

I haven't commented on it, but in Sydney the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has been holding an inquiry into double dealing over the last years of the previous Labor Administration. This quote from a Sydney Morning Herald story will give you a feel.

THE family of the Labor power broker Eddie Obeid received $30 million and stood to make a further $70 million using inside information on coal exploration licences provided by the disgraced former mining minister Ian Macdonald.

Not only is this ''the most important investigation ever undertaken'' by the Independent Commission Against Corruption but ''it is corruption on a scale probably unexceeded since the days of the Rum Corps,'' counsel assisting the inquiry, Geoffrey Watson, SC, said in his opening address on Monday.

There has been some quite fascinating stuff, but what struck me was the reference to the Rum Corps, officially known as the New South Wales Corps. Formed in England in 1789 to replace the marines who had accompanied the First Fleet, it has acquired a very particular place in Australian history and mythology.

Things aren't always what they seem. The overthrow of Governor Bligh, the Rum Rebellion, actually had very little to do with rum at all. But it certainly had a lot to do with land, money and power, including control of the official purse. In that sense, not much has changed!   

There is another present historical connection.

Canada has been celebrating the War of 1812, a war that began with a US invasion of what is now Canada. Recalled to England and renamed the 102nd Regiment of Foot, the Rum Corp served in that war. 

12 comments:

Evan said...

Do you know if anyone has traced the consequences of the "Rum Rebellion" and if it had lasting effects in NSW?

Whether the corruption persisted and if so in what ways and for how long?

I guess this would be difficult to figure out but I would certainly be interesting to know.

Evan said...

to get comments

Jim Belshaw said...

Sorry for the delay, Evan. I haven't has access during the day. I have been reading some stuff by economic historian Noel Butlin on this.

Looking at this, I get the strong impression that the emergence of a military-official junta after Philip left was quite positive in economic terms, in establishing private property rights, and in limiting the freedom of the state. By 1808, the year Bligh was over-thrown, the real standard of living in NSW had reached, probably passed, that of England. The overthrow laid the basis for Macquarie.

The corruption of the time also has to be seen in the context of attitudes of the time that were, in practice, much more free-wheeling. The division between private and public roles and profit was less established.

Never the less, I think that the free-wheeling real estate focused culture that persisted was established then.

Anonymous said...

From your 'Rum Corps' link:

"To improve agricultural production and make the colony more self-sufficient, Grose turned away from collective farming and made generous land grants to officers of the Corps."

- sounds a bit like how raw (and bloody, tooth and claw) capitalism works, therefore maybe not so bad for the times?

That aside, the present unfiltered tales of our political betters are making fascinating reading.

kvd

Anonymous said...

Sorry Jim. Was concocting my defence of the methods at the exact time you were lauding the results. Carry on ;)

kvd

Jim Belshaw said...

:), kvd. Actually, probably not. I am amazed at the NSW stuff and in some ways the ho-um reaction to it all. If everybody knew that stuff might be happening, and a lot of people either did or seemed to assume it, then it doesn't say much for this place. In fact, I accept that this is a jaundiced view, its just all so Sydney!

Neil said...

Askin. Yes, pretty amazing too...

Anonymous said...

Neil, yes indeed and touche also, if necessary! (not that there was any hint of party politics in the disgust expressed)

Oh well. You may say we don't have class, but we do have Bulli Pass.

kvd

Jim Belshaw said...

I had forgotten about Askin, Neil. I must re-check the details. As I remember it, though, the allegations (they were never proved) involved links with organised crime. Nothing would surprise me, though!

Anonymous said...

Actually Neil raises a very good point: does the addition of several 0's indicate an escalation, or is it merely the inevitable effect of inflation upon what is essentially same old, same old? Looking forward to Jim's analysis.

kvd

Jim Belshaw said...

I don't think that its quite the same old. It's venal. Not sure that I put that well, but on the allegations Mr Askin was corruption from bribes. This is a different type. I am also interested in the differences between capital cities. Not sure that i can do it justice in a post, though!

Evan said...

Let's not forget Botany Council.

Or Askin either.