Australia in the 1900's was absolutely not a working mans paradise; the phrase is just a mindless fantasy and a sham. Since the economy was terrifyingly low the working man did work but for a harsh minimum wages and was fired easily. Men worked mostly in factories and shops, where they were constantly pushed past their limits to do their work. Women also were taken advantaged because of this crisis. They usually worked as servants, and were able to "live in." with them. This was not always perfect even when in some cases when the servant married the boss. In addition, many jobs were unsafe, even when the first "factory and shop act" came in place. Therefore, when we put this all together we find that it was nothing like paradise, and people were suffering because of it.

The economic despair of the 1890s was a determining experience...