The Road to St. Kilda Pier: George Orwell and the Politics of the Australian Left
Stained Wattle Press, Sydney, 90 pp., 1984.
The Road to St Kilda Pier is neiher a serious account of Orwell's political thought nor a detailed study of the Australian left. It is, rather, an attempt to conjure up from the grave the shade of George Orwell, in order to ask of him what he would have made of the Australian left had he happened to live here, now. Provocative and informative, by turn, it provides an overview and commentary on the history of the Australian left, on its present crises, and on its future prospects. Through Orwellian spectacles, Andrew Milner develops his own critique of the Old Left (the ALP and the old Communist Party), the New Left (Eurocommunists, Maoists, Trotskyists, and academic Marxists), and various movements, old, new, and not so new (the labour movement, the women's movement, and the environmentalist movement). His conclusion, that 'what has to be reconstructed is a socialism similar to that after which Orwell hankered, a socialism which smells of revolution and the overthrow of tyrants', may irritate, anger, or inspire, but it will prove difficult to ignore.
'a comprehensive self-criticism of the Australian Left ... a trenchant analysis of its jargon-ridden theoreticism, its ferocious sectarianism ... and general crankishness ... much of what he has to say is difficult to deny' - Stuart Macintyre, Professor of History, University of Melbourne, The Age
'a highly readable, ... most amusing, little essay' - Greg Sheridan, The Australian'the many strengths of the book are apparent ... Milner has advanced thoughtful and important argument' - Chris Healy, University of Melbourne, Arena