Paved with Good Intentions: Terra Nullius, Aboriginal Land Rights and Settler-Colonial Law by Hannah Robert

Book Description

Secondhand. Very good condition. Minor wear to book corners and edges.

Over a century before Mabo and generations before 'Terra Nullius', Aboriginal land rights were briefly acknowledged by the early colonists of South Australia and Victoria. The way to Hell is paved with good intentions. Lust for land snuffed out hopes for a fair go, as the original owners of the land were pushed to the margins.

This book looks at the way colonists exploited humanitarian rhetoric developed by England's anti-slavery movement to oust Aboriginal claims; how they reinvented the Common Law of property to secure their own title, twisting legal analysis and economic theory to suit their aims.

It also explores the interactions between colonists and governments in Hobart, Sydney and London.