In this compelling and comprehensive work, renowned historian Frank Bongiorno presents a social and cultural history of Australia’s political life, from pre-settlement Indigenous systems to the present day.

Depicting a parade of dreamers and schemers, Bongiorno surveys moments of political renewal and sheds fresh light on our democratic life. From local pubs and meeting halls to the parliament and cabinet; from pamphleteers and stump orators to party agents and operatives – this enthralling account looks at the political insiders in the halls of power, as well as the agitators and outsiders who sought to shape the nation from the margins.

In this episode Gregory Dobbs chats to Frank Bongiorno about the nature of indigenous politics before colonisation, the early figures and institutions of the colony that have had lasting impacts on the way we live today, the issue of immigration that has shaped Australian politics since the early years, and the reasons behind the relative stability of Australian politics through two centuries of colonisation.