The 1975 “dismissal” of Australian Labor PM Gough Whitlam is often seen as a constitutional crisis initiated by an old British-led establishment. In reality, it was a bloodless analog of other US-orchestrated coups against reforming left governments.

On both Left and Right, many like to take the Whitlam dismissal— as it became known — as a constitutional struggle between an old British-oriented establishment and a new, progressive Australia. But in retrospect, it’s hard to doubt that the 1975 dismissal was in fact a soft coup d’état, heavily influenced by US power and influence.

  • Fleur_@lemmynsfw.comEnglish
    1·
    3 hours ago

    Whitlam was a truly based leftist politician in Australia, with all the good and bad that comes with. Regardless of what his detractors say he dramatically improved the lives of Australian workers during his term and the fact that his democratic mandate was stripped is a stain on Australian political history.

  • stonkage@aussie.zoneEnglish
    1·
    1 day ago

    No one made labor/Whitlam appoint senators to overseas posts or to the high court. If they hadn’t made some of these crazy the decisions they wouldn’t have been a dismissal

    Hell, Whitlam appointed Kerr albeit it was his last choice.

    The whole thing was a massive own goal for Labor. I’m sure there was some shenanigans between Kerr and Fraser, but I think it was opportunistic rather than the Palace or CIA.

  • LibertyLizard@slrpnk.netEnglish
    73·
    3 days ago

    Pretty week case laid out here. While I wouldn’t be surprised by CIA involvement, they present essentially zero evidence of such…