To Howard on Prosperity

True to form, John Howard capitalised on the recent American financial crisis to boost his ‘safe pair of hands’ campaign, once again marketing himself as the sound economic manager without whom Australia would inevitably fall into debt and disarray. In fact the crisis is in part a result of precisely the kind of prosperity doctrine Howard has been promulgating for a decade. His vision for Australia as a ‘relaxed and comfortable’ prosperous society has encouraged us to pursue lifestyles we can’t afford. In our consent to the rampant materialism on which his economy thrives, what have we in fact mortgaged?