Howard: In Hanson's shadow: "Howard has constructed a formidable constituency of conservative belief on social issues while maintaining an essentially liberal economic policy agenda. As a consequence he has remade Australian politics without reneging on economic changes that were a significant factor in the sense of powerlessness and insecurity that gave rise to Hansonism."

This is the ideology of fascism: act to support large corporate and private interests, but retain popular control by focussing the resentments of the population on minorities and foreigners. Or in the anarchist formula, racism and nationalism are tools used by ruling elites to divide the working class ('ordinary people'). Howard is a sort of contemporary master of this. Howard didn't invent racism and nationalism, anymore than Hanson or Hitler did. And racism did not and will not end with the suicide of Hitler, the gaoling of Hanson, or the defeat of Howard. Racism and nationalism are always available as political tools, which must be continuously opposed by exposure and condemnation. This is where Keating and Labor's 'elites' have failed: there had been a complacent assumption that the good fight against racism has been essentially won and we can now enjoy the benefits. Hanson/Howard is a sharp lesson that this is not so and the fight has to be carried forward day by day.

Howard: In Hanson's shadow: "Howard has constructed a formidable constituency of conservative belief on social issues while maintaining an essentially liberal economic policy agenda. As a consequence he has remade Australian politics without reneging on economic changes that were a significant factor in the sense of powerlessness and insecurity that gave rise to Hansonism."

This is the ideology of fascism: act to support large corporate and private interests, but retain popular control by focussing the resentments of the population on minorities and foreigners. Or in the anarchist formula, racism and nationalism are tools used by ruling elites to divide the working class ('ordinary people'). Howard is a sort of contemporary master of this. Howard didn't invent racism and nationalism, anymore than Hanson or Hitler did. And racism did not and will not end with the suicide of Hitler, the gaoling of Hanson, or the defeat of Howard. Racism and nationalism are always available as political tools, which must be continuously opposed by exposure and condemnation. This is where Keating and Labor's 'elites' have failed: there had been a complacent assumption that the good fight against racism has been essentially won and we can now enjoy the benefits. Hanson/Howard is a sharp lesson that this is not so and the fight has to be carried forward day by day.