Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv will launch Race Mathew’s new book, Of Labour and Liberty at the Whitlam Institute, in partnership with Monash University Publishing on Friday 16 June.
Of Labour and Liberty arises from the author’s half a century and more of political and public policy involvement. It’s a response to evidence of a precipitous decline in active citizenship, resulting from a loss of confidence in politics, politicians, parties and parliamentary democracy; the rise of ‘lying for hire’ lobbyism; increasing concentration of capital in the hands of a wealthy few; and corporate wrong-doing and criminality. It questions whether political democracy can survive indefinitely in the absence of economic democracy – of labour hiring capital rather than capital labour. It highlights the potential of the social teachings of the Catholic Church and the now largely forgotten Distributist political philosophy and program that originated from them as a means of bringing about a more equal, just and genuinely democratic social order. It describes and evaluates Australian attempts to give effect to Distributism, with special reference to Victoria. It documents as grounds for hope the support and advocacy of Pope Francis, and ownership by some 83,000 workers of the Mondragon co-operatives in Spain.
Race Mathews is a former Chief of Staff to Gough Whitlam, Federal MP, Victorian MP and Minister, Local Government Councillor, academic, speech therapist and primary teacher. He has held numerous positions in the Australian Labor Party and the co-operative and credit union movements and has written and spoken widely about their history, attributes, and activities. A major focus of his research has been the great complex of worker-owned co-operatives at Mondragon in the Basque region of Spain and its origins in the social teachings of the Catholic Church. He is married to writer Iola Mathews, and lives in Melbourne.
The Whitlam Institute is the Organiser of Of Labour and Liberty Book Launch. The Whitlam Institute within Western Sydney University exists not simply to preserve the legacy of the Hon Gough Whitlam AC QC through the Prime Ministerial Collection, but to ensure that his legacy lives through our commitment to bold public policy and social reform and through our efforts to nurture an interest in and understanding of our democracy.
DATE AND TIME: Fri. 16 June 2017, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm AEST
LOCATION: Female Orphan School, Conference Room 1, Building EZ, Western Sydney University, Corner James Ruse Drive and Victoria Road, Rydalmere, NSW 2116
With thanks to Monash University Publishing.
