In 1944 Eric Williams – a Trinidad and Tobago politician who led the then British colony to majority rule, independence and then republican status – published the book Capitalism and Slavery.

 In their 2023 book Slavery, Capitalism and the Industrial Revolution Maxime Berg and Pat Hudson recount how his book was largely dismissed until discussion of the issue resumed in the 1980s and 1990s. Originally, on the basis of limited data, historians gave Williams’ thesis a minimal role in Britain’s economic history. read more

Many people find the Christmas New Year period the only time they get to read newspapers in any detail. It is also the period when the most predictable stories and the odd beat up get published.

But it’s also a good time to reflect on some wisdom about the stories you read.

The blog’s friend, Tony Jaques sent the first snippet to prompt this thought – and one which demonstrates that not only is the Murdoch media biased but also badly in need of spending some money on competent sub editors rather than propagandists. read more

For decades the US has dominated scientific research and discovery as a significant proxy measure of success – Nobel Prizes – indicates. But the situation is changing partly because other nations are catching up and partly because of changing political attitudes to science.

According to various polls barely 50% of Americans are supportive of scientific endeavours – and the doubters include many elected officials such as the many Republican climate denialists. read more

There is a 1960s film – which sadly Google can’t seem to help find its title – which features a discussion between an FBI informant and an activist driving the truck they are both in.

With the degree of subtlety you would expect from an FBI informant he interrogates the driver about his readership of the New York Times. Back in the Hoover days that was probably enough to get you on an FBI list. read more

The latest Roy Morgan Most Trusted & Distrusted Leaders research has bad news for Anthony Albanese but worse news for Peter Dutton.

….. and the political class as a whole also has deep problems with Michelle Levine, Roy Morgan CEO, saying that overall trust is down and deep and toxic distrust has increased. read more

David Stephens, the author of this post, is the founder of the Honest History website and the inspiration behind the Defending Country Memorial Project.  This article was published recently on the Defending Country Memorial website and is re-published by permission.

The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Matt Keogh, should refresh the Council of the Australian War Memorial, which at present looks like a cosy club of well-connected conservatives and ex-military types. read more

Yet again we are seeing the anti-climate change forces reverting to support for nuclear energy as a ‘solution’ to the pending climate catastrophe.

Opposition Leader, Peter Dutton, is offering nuclear projects but ones which seem to be another ‘new improved’ product like the products spruiked on late night TV shows and online shopping channels. read more

Near the end of the Earth’s hottest year since records began, Australia is facing storms, potentially huge Summer bushfires, half-hearted climate policy by the Albanese Government and continuing climate denialism from much of the Opposition and others.

This at a time when we have reached significant global climate tipping points. read more

Now what on earth will those staunch monarchists and climate denialists – John Howard and Tony Abbott – say about their new king, Charles III, and his very strongly held environmental views?

Charles may or may not be terribly bright (well smarter than his brother anyway) and rather pompous but that tends to go with the job. He has the requisite royal small talk – have you come far etc etc – but to the discomfort of UK PM, Rishi Sunak, he also has strong opinions on the environment at a time when Sunak is desperately trying to hold on to power by reversing his previous support for climate action and other environmental policies. read more

Keen readers know how it works. You are in a bookshop. You see something you would like to read. You have a quick look at the introduction. Then you buy it, take it home and put it on a shelf in your library.

There it sits until…..

In this case the ‘until’ was the launch of the Defending Country Memorial Project which grew out of David Stephens long-running campaign to ensure the Frontier Wars were represented in the Australian War Memorial. read more