Paternalistic Policy in Papua New Guinea 1884-1974: Ideology and Strategies

Introduction 

Papua New Guinea (PNG) was a colony of Australia from 1884 to 1975. During this period, the Australian government implemented a paternalistic policy towards the indigenous population. This policy was based on the idea that the indigenous people were primitive and needed to be "civilized" by the colonizers. In this blog, we will explore the ideology and strategies of the paternalistic policy in PNG, with a focus on the examples of Governor William McGregor and later Governor Paul Husluck 

 Ideology of Paternalistic Policy

The ideology of paternalistic policy in PNG was based on the belief that the indigenous people were inferior and needed to be "civilized" by the colonizers. This ideology was rooted in the idea of the "civilizing mission," which was a common justification for colonialism in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The idea was that the colonizers had a duty to bring civilization to the "uncivilized" people they were colonizing. In the case of PNG, this meant establishing contact with the natives and introducing them to Western ways of life.

Governor William McGregor was a key figure in the implementation of the paternalistic policy in PNG. McGregor believed that the indigenous people were "backward" and needed to be "civilized" through education and the introduction of Western technology. McGregor established a network of schools throughout the colony and encouraged the indigenous people to adopt Western ways of life. McGregor's policy was based on the idea that the indigenous people could be "uplifted" through education and exposure to Western culture.

Later, Governor Paul Hasluck continued the paternalistic policy in PNG. Hasluck believed that the indigenous people needed to be "modernized" through the introduction of menial labor. Hasluck implemented a peasant-based strategy that encouraged the indigenous people to work on plantations and in other menial jobs. Hasluck's policy was based on the idea that the indigenous people needed to be "trained" to work in the modern economy.

Strategies of Paternalistic Policy

The paternalistic policy in PNG was implemented through a variety of strategies. One of the key strategies was the establishment of schools and the introduction of Western education. The idea was that the indigenous people could be "uplifted" through education and exposure to Western culture. Another strategy was the introduction of menial labor through a peasant-based strategy. The idea was that the indigenous people needed to be "trained" to work in the modern economy.

The paternalistic policy in PNG was also implemented through the work of missionaries. The missionaries played a key role in the "civilizing mission" by introducing the indigenous people to Christianity and Western culture. The missionaries established schools and churches throughout the colony and encouraged the indigenous people to adopt Western ways of life.

Chapter 13 of "Development and Dependency: The Political Economy of Papua New Guinea"

Chapter 13 of "Development and Dependency: The Political Economy of Papua New Guinea" by Azim Amarshi, Kenneth Good, and Rex Mortimer discusses the paternalistic and mystification aspects of the colonial policy in PNG. The authors argue that the paternalistic policy was a form of mystification that was used to justify the exploitation of the indigenous people. The authors also argue that the paternalistic policy was a form of dependency that kept the indigenous people in a state of economic and political subordination.

In conclusion, the paternalistic policy in PNG was based on the ideology of the "civilizing mission" and the belief that the indigenous people were inferior and needed to be "civilized" by the colonizers. The policy was implemented through a variety of strategies, including the establishment of schools, the introduction of menial labor, and the work of missionaries. While the policy was intended to "uplift" the indigenous people, it was also a form of mystification and dependency that kept them in a state of economic and political subordination.

We will look at the social aspect of the paternalistic policy in the next blog 

Citations

[1] https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10978-021-09300-3

[2] http://www.paclii.org/journals/fJSPL/vol12no2/pdf/imbun.pdf

[3] https://www.jstor.org/stable/43052904

[4] https://www.britannica.com/place/Papua-New-Guinea/The-colonial-period

[5] https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5263/labourhistory.98.1.163

[6] https://pacificinstitute.anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/resources-links/Pandanus/Building_a_Nation_in_Papua_New_Guinea.pdf