Abstract
The chapter focuses on the political activism of John Dwyer, a working class radical who campaigned for the right to work on behalf of Sydney's unemployed in the period 1900-1914. Dwyer's activism was also complicated by his own quest for recognition as an activist and his search for employment during the period, as Federation seemed to offer a new political sphere for Dwyer's activism. His struggle to change society was always a struggle to change his own circumstances. Dwyer's experience reveals not only the difficulties of maintaining radical activism, but also the dilemmas of creating and maintaining a radical identity.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Working the Nation |
| Subtitle of host publication | Working Life and Federation 1890-1914 |
| Editors | Mark Hearn, Greg Patmore |
| Place of Publication | Sydney |
| Publisher | Pluto Press Australia |
| Pages | 264-281 |
| Number of pages | 18 |
| ISBN (Print) | 1864031352 |
| Publication status | Published - 2001 |
Keywords
- Working class radicalism
- Federation
- unemployment
- citizenship
- labour history