In order to settle the English Revolution four centuries ago, the monarchy relinquished supremacy over the people to the Parliament, the representatives of the emerging capitalist class. If the November referendum had been approved, Australians would not have lost our status as subjects. Electors were alarmed at the prospect of a despotic Prime Minister using a compliant President to impose a dictatorship, which, as the No supporters pointed out, was how Hitler usurped control of Germany. Supporters of the Yes case tried to capitalise on popular distrust of the political elite by alleging that their model would prevent professional politicians from becoming President. Most voters are not Constitutional lawyers, but as the saying goes, you can't fool all of the people all of the time.
Economic crackdown creates backlash .
Ungracious in defeat, the Yes advocates rushed into print to portray the electors as stupid and reactionary, warning of an upsurge in rightwing populism and a chasm between urban and rural residents. The most strident champions of the Yes position are the same people who are foreclosing on family farms and desperately trying to undermine the gains of working people. With friends like these, the Yes cause was doomed from the start. Outside the State capitals, only one voting district backed the referendum. Voters in eight of the 10 urban areas where the Yes case gained the most support have incomes far above average.