Climbing the stairs

As you probably know, I'm a massive fan of Noel Pearson. In last weekend's paper he wrote yet another unsettling, visionary article in which he outlined three "key articles of liberal philosophy" which are passed by when it comes to Aboriginal affairs.1 They are self-interest, choice and private property.

He identified self interest as the fundamental driver behind all development and observed that the "great western embarrassment about self-interest . . . results in Westerners failing to understand that the means by which they secure their advantage, and thereby provide amenity to others, is through the pursuit of self-interest." He also argued that ownership of private property is essential for development - and the opposite of traditional Aboriginal communal ownership.

His conclusion was that if Aboriginal people are to prospere they will need to "separate the domain of communalism in our heritage, cultures, languages and identities from the domain of liberalism in our lives". He cited "countless examples of societies and peoples who continue to maintain communalist arrangements in one sphere of their lives, while maintaining a liberal sphere in their economic arrangements."

Any thoughts?


1 The Weekend Australian 24-25th July 2010, Commentary section, page 14