Vice-regal intervention in Australian domestic politics: Ronald Munro Ferguson and the ALP Split of 1916

Journal article


Bastian, Peter. (2018). Vice-regal intervention in Australian domestic politics: Ronald Munro Ferguson and the ALP Split of 1916. Labour History: A Journal of Labour and Social history. https://doi.org/10.5263/labourhistory.114.0001
AuthorsBastian, Peter
Abstract

The Australian Labor Party (ALP) split over conscription has usually been interpreted as arising from the actions of William Morris (Billy) Hughes on the one side, in conflict with various forces within the labour movement on the other. However, this bipolar view ignores the role of the Governor-General Sir Ronald Munro Ferguson who had been proactive in Australian domestic politics from 1914 in order to maximise the war effort on Britain's behalf and to enhance his own office. His firm belief that conscription was necessary and Hughes was the only man capable of being Prime Minister led him to work behind the scenes to secure those objectives. He was also suspicious of the ALP and its ties with the Catholic community that he saw as linked to Irish disloyalty and so supported counter-intelligence measures against them. This article examines how this largely overlooked vice-regal involvement contributed to the political upheaval in this period.

KeywordsWilliam Morris Hughes; Ronald Munro Ferguson; ALP Split 1916; Australian Counter Intelligence; Australian Sectarianism; Governor-General
Year2018
JournalLabour History: A Journal of Labour and Social history
PublisherAustralian Society for the Study of Labour History
ISSN0023-6942
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.5263/labourhistory.114.0001
Scopus EID2-s2.0-85049020720
Page range1 - 16
Research GroupSchool of Arts
Publisher's version
File Access Level
Controlled
Place of publicationAustralia
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