How Have the Attitudes and Policies of the States and Federal Governments Impacted the Aboriginal People?
How have the attitudes and policies of the states and federal governments impacted the aboriginal people? There are various ways in which the policies of the state and federal governments have impacted the aboriginal people. The government policies includes; the policy of paternalism, Protectionism, Assimilation, Integration and Self – determination. These policies have impacted the aid of Aborigines due to the fact that the governments thought that the Aboriginals were a species that needed to be protected but instead had the reverse effect.
The policy of Paternalism was a policy that regarded the Aboriginals as their children and Australians themselves as fathers. The definition of Paternalism is a policy or practice of treating or governing people in a fatherly manner, especially by providing for their needs without giving them rights or responsibilities. Although the 'frontier' period of Australian history can be viewed in the terms of war, there were also many white settlers who were appalled at the treatment of the Indigenous people and wanted to help them. Some of those who tried to help were government officials, others were Christian missionaries. These people truly believed that the Aboriginal people needed their help and without it they would die out. Charles Darwin's theories on evolution and survival of the fittest were wholly accepted by the settlers. They believed that Aboriginal people were weaker and inferior because of the color of their skin. They judged the Aboriginal peoples by their own European standards and decided that they were primitive and uncultured. They became convinced that the 'black races' had to die out, and so they thought they could make that process better for Aboriginal people by placing them on government reserves or in church missions where they could die in peace. This new approach to Aboriginal affairs was known as 'Protection' policy. Unfortunately like many other initiatives to help
The policy of Paternalism was a policy that regarded the Aboriginals as their children and Australians themselves as fathers. The definition of Paternalism is a policy or practice of treating or governing people in a fatherly manner, especially by providing for their needs without giving them rights or responsibilities. Although the 'frontier' period of Australian history can be viewed in the terms of war, there were also many white settlers who were appalled at the treatment of the Indigenous people and wanted to help them. Some of those who tried to help were government officials, others were Christian missionaries. These people truly believed that the Aboriginal people needed their help and without it they would die out. Charles Darwin's theories on evolution and survival of the fittest were wholly accepted by the settlers. They believed that Aboriginal people were weaker and inferior because of the color of their skin. They judged the Aboriginal peoples by their own European standards and decided that they were primitive and uncultured. They became convinced that the 'black races' had to die out, and so they thought they could make that process better for Aboriginal people by placing them on government reserves or in church missions where they could die in peace. This new approach to Aboriginal affairs was known as 'Protection' policy. Unfortunately like many other initiatives to help