State Policy and the Yeoman Ideal: agricultural development in Western Australia, 1890-1914

The signiŽcance of the ‘yeoman ideal’ in the formulation of WesternAustralian agricultural development policy between 1890 and 1914 is examined. It isargued that the colonial and, later, state governments of Western Australia regardedthemselves not only as the promoters of economic development, but also as the architectsof a desired cultural landscape and social class. This was re�ected in numerousgovernment reports, legislation and advertising that emphasized the virtues of smallscalefamily owned and operated yeoman farms. It is pointed out that, despite the seriousongoing environmental and economic difŽculties facing this type of farming, the stateremained captivated by the yeoman ideal until at least the onset of the First World War.