history

deep history

Was the transition to agriculture the “worst mistake in human history”?

by Robbo Bennetts

18 June 2021

The “Agricultural Revolution” — that is the transition of much of humanity from a foraging economy to an agricultural economy — is sometimes described as the greatest revolution in human history. So what did it mean, in real-life terms, for those who made the transition?

colonial history

	The doctrine of discovery What was in the minds of the British when they claimed first the eastern half and then the rest of Australia? Why did they think they could assume sovereignty over a vast tract of land that was already occupied? This essay provides a detailed, evidence-based answer that challenges conventional thinking.
	The Black Resistance, chapter 3: “Tasmania” (1977) by Robbo Bennetts first published as a chapter in Fergus Robinson and Barry York (eds), *The Black Resistance, Widescope, Melbourne, 1977 "The Black Resistance* is a powerful contribution to the movement for a new Australian history - a history centred on the first Australians. It presents massive evidence of a splendid tradition of heroic resistance by the Aboriginal people and establishes that violent struggle against foreign invasion was an on-going and continent wide response." From the blurb on the back cover of Black Resistance.
	Blood on the poa Worksheet from Footprints* workbook about frontier conflict in north-eastern Victoria in the 1830s.*
	Blood on the spinifex Worksheet from Footprints* workbook about frontier conflict in the East Kimberley in the early twentieth century.*

the protest movement

	Photogallery: The second Waterdale Road demonstration, 16 September 1970 Images from the second of three Waterdale Road demonstrations against the Vietnam War in October 1970.
	Photogallery: proudly untraditional La Trobe University shamelessly uses images of students protesting against the university's role in supporting the Vietnam War to promote itself as somehow "untraditional".
	Audio tapes by Barry York Respected historian and author of Student Revolt (amongst many other titles) interviews key participants in the Waterdale Road demonstrations.
	Standing on the tail of the dragon Fifty years ago Robbo Bennetts travelled to China during the tail of the Cultural Revolution. Here are his perceptions back then. (Cultural Revolution, Bon Hull, Peace Hotel, Grand Lama, Rewi Alley)
	Smile. You are on ASIO camera from Robbo Bennetts' ASIO file
	The Iraq war Michael Leunig responds to a rough sketch sent to him by Robbo Bennetts.