1830-1850年代澳大利亚自由移民骤增原因探析

An Analysis of the Reasons for the Rapid Increase of Free Immigration in Australia from the 1830s to the 1850s

1830-1850年代,澳大利亚迎来其近代史上的第一次大规模自由移民潮。该时期自由移民潮的出现有着多方面原因。首先,19世纪英国国内出现了严重的劳动力过剩及失业问题,而渐趋繁荣的澳大利亚对自由劳动力的需求却在增大,两地就业环境的相对差异促使以英国为主的自由移民迁往澳大利亚;与此同时,英国政府及澳大利亚殖民地政府颁行的自由移民资助政策,为无力承担高额移民成本的潜在移民提供了便利,进一步推动了这一移民进程;而1850年代,澳大利亚的“淘金热”更是刺激了全球范围内自由移民的大规模涌入。

From the 1830s to the 1850s,Australia ushered in the first large-scale wave of free immigration in its modern history.There are many reasons for the emergence of free immigration during this period.In the 19th century,Britain was experiencing a serious labor surplus and unemployment problem,while the booming Australia was in urgent need of a large amount of free labor.The relative differences in the employment environment between the two places prompted predominantly British free immigrants to move to Australia.At the same time,the British government and colonial authority implemented the policy of subsidizing free immigration,which provided a convenient channel for the potential immigrants who could not afford the high cost of immigration,further facilitating this process.In the 1850s,Australia’s“gold rush”spurred a massive influx of free immigrants from all over the world.