The pattern of the Australian Labor Party's foreign policy since 1900

Abstract

While changes in Australia’s position in world capitalism have influenced Australian Labor Party’s foreign policy, the Party’s overall approach has not shifted. The pursuit of the ‘national interests’ of capitalist Australia has consistently underpinned the policies of the Labor party. Support for repressive regimes and other imperialist powers, preparedness to send Australian workers overseas to kill and be killed are nothing new. They are integral to the social democratic tradition.