Little Johnny, the battlers' man

The latest Economist has a very interesting multi-article Australia feature section – most of it, unfortunately, available only to subscribers – that starts off with an article that focuses on John Howard and the need for further productivity increases. Here's the start:

Australia's economic performance has been the envy of western countries for well over a decade. But, says Christopher Lockwood, the country now needs a new wave of reform to keep going


THE best-loved character in Australian folklore is the “battler”, the indomitable little guy who soldiers on despite all the odds, struggling to hold down his job, raise his family and pay off his mortgage. Battling adversity, after all, is what Australians excel at—and have done since 1788, when the first convicts were disgorged on to that fatal shore to build their own prison. Not for nothing is Gallipoli, a catastrophic failure redeemed by a heroic evacuation, Australia's most celebrated military engagement, marked by a public holiday. The battler spirit has enabled Australians to survive and prosper in the driest inhabited continent on earth, full of the most poisonous snakes, the largest crocodiles and the most terrifying sea-creatures. John Howard, who last October was elected prime minister for the fourth time, has made one of the most successful political careers of modern times anywhere by appealing to those ordinary battlers.

I haven't read the whole thing yet but it's interesting and well written. A subscription isn't required to read the article above so go take a look.