Historical Current Affairs Analysis

3^rd of May 2007

 

Historical and Current Affairs Analysis (HCAA)

and the “Firms’ Quality Circles” (FQC)

Dear………………………..

 

 

You are cordially invited to a talk to be given by Mr. Andrew Knopfelmacher entitled, “Totalitarianism: Past, Present and Future” (“Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past”. (George Orwell Nineteen Eight-Four). This talk will overview the development of totalitarianism and evaluate its prospects in the wake of the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

 

 

Andrew has a deep knowledge concerning totalitarianism from both a political and theoretical perspective. His father, the late Dr. Frank Knopfelmacher (1923-1995) was a leading expert on totalitarianism from whom Andrew gained insight.

 

Andrew’s talk will be held at –

 

 

(more…)

HCAA                                                                                                 5^th of April 2007

 

Historical and Current Affairs Analysis and the “Firm’s Quality Circles” (FQC)

 

 

 

Dear…………………………..

 

 

You are cordially invited to a talk to be given by Mr. David Bennett entitled “Fulgencio Batista: Why History Will Absolve Him”.  David has helped organise talks on historical and/or current affairs over the last six years and will only give one such talk himself during the course of the year.  Due to the Cuban dictator’s Fidel Castro’s current grave illness, David will give a talk on Castro’s unfairly maligned predecessor, Fulgencio Batista (1901 to 1973). 

 

An important objective of the HCAA talks is to promote an understanding of current affairs by reference to historical events.  As Castro seemingly approaches his end, Cuba faces the appalling prospect of continuing to be a Communist dictatorship under his brother Raul and beyond.  Amazingly, there seems to be a broad acceptance of such a scenario in the world today due to Castro’s success in fostering the image that he led his nation to self-respect and true independence by overthrowing such a seemingly nefarious figure in the person of Fulgencio Batista.

 

David will argue that the conventional caricature of Fulgencio Batista is inaccurate and a testament to the Castro regime’s propaganda success in obscuring and distorting the history of pre-totalitarian Cuba.  The talk will aim to provide an insight into the history and politics of nation, which for all its difficulties, was moving towards being a prosperous, developed and ultimately democratic nation, until Castro’s seizure of power in early 1959 diverted this historical outcome. 

 

The fact that Cuba was moving in such a positive direction, envisaged by its spiritual father and national poet Jose Marti (1853 to 1895), was due to, not in spite of the political leadership of Fulgencio Batista.  Castro’s success in diverting Cuban history was not only due to his diabolical genius but also because of the complexities of pre-totalitarian Cuba which were personified by Fulgencio Batista.

 

Batista was initially an obscure figure who dramatically burst onto the national scene as one of the principal leaders of Cuba’s 1933 Revolution.  Although Batista was undoubtedly the most important political leader from the pre-Castro era, he did not (nor did he seek to) dominate the nation to the extent that everything subsequently revolved around him.  Consequently, this talk will also discuss other important political leaders from Cuba’s pre-totalitarian past. 

 

An article on President Batista of Cuba written by the speaker can be accessed from the Publicaciones section of www.cubarepublicana.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This talk will be held:-

 

7:30 pm on Wednesday the 25^th of April 2007

 at Bells Hotel and Brewery

 157 Moray Street South Melbourne (Corner of Coventry Street)

Mel way ref: 2K E 1

 

The hotel management would be appreciative if guests availed themselves of the opportunity to purchase a meal and/or drinks at the bar between 6:30 and 7:00 pm. 

 

RSVP:  Monday the 23^rd of April 2007.

 

Contacts:- (listed in alphabetical order)

 

David Bennett (03) 9898 3629

David Cowling (03) 9584 6247

Klara Doroszlay (03) 9889 6014

Mila Dvorakova (03) 9720 5337

Jim Hewat           (03) 9306 4318

Richard Kings     (03) 9886 7947

Phllis Mc Millan   (03) 9645 4417

Bryan Stertern-Gill (03) 9370 3905

7^th of March 2007

 

Historical and Current Affairs Analysis (HCAA) and the “Firm’s

 Quality Circles” (FQC)

 

 

Dear……………………

 

 

You are cordially invited to a talk to be given by Mr. Philip Benwell, the National Chairman of the Australian Monarchist League, (AML) entitled, “The Increasing Subversion of the Westminster Doctrine of Constitutional Monarchy by Politicians.”  This talk will highlight how politicians throughout the Realms of the Commonwealth are undermining the system of Westminster parliamentary democracy and how Prime Ministers have consequently arbitrarily appropriated the Royal Prerogative. 

 

Mr. Benwell is well qualified to speak authoritatively on matters relating to constitutional practice and the role of the Crown.  In 2003 the speaker had published in the United States his book entitled “In Defence of Australia’s Constitutional Monarchy”, where it sold particularly well as it did in Canada and the United Kingdom.  This book has been used in these countries as a political text book for use in universities and schools.  By invitation Mr. Benwell is a frequent speaker at meetings of the House of Lords.

 

Mr. Benwell’s talk will be held-

 

                                                   At 7:30 PM on Wednesday the 28^th of March 2007

                                                    At Bells Hotel and Brewery

                                                     157 Moray Street South Melbourne

                                                     Crn of Coventry Rd, Mel ways REF: 2K E1

 

The hotel management would be appreciative if guests availed themselves of the opportunity to purchase a meal and/or drinks at the bar between 6:30 and 7:00 PM.  The talk will commence at 7:30 PM in the upstairs function room.

 

 

The speaker will discuss how the demolition of the House of Lords in the United Kingdom has encouraged governments to remove whatever checks and balances they are able to and subsequently impaired the Westminster system of democracy.  Mr. Benwell will also explain how changing public attitudes toward monarchical institutions (which have been promoted by the media) have helped facilitate the new phenomenon of the ‘presidential’ style of prime ministership. 

The speaker’s detailed knowledge of constitutional practice throughout the Realms of the Commonwealth promises to endow the talk with a broad scope of analysis which is relevant to Australia.  In keeping with the purpose and spirit of the talks that have been held at Bells Hotel to be forums in which people with different opinions can exchange their viewpoints in a friendly atmosphere, republicans are very welcome to attend.  There will of course be ample opportunity for all guests to ask questions and/or express opinions at the conclusion of the talk.

 

RSVP:  Monday the 26^th of March 2007

Contacts:- (listed in alphabetical order)

 

David Bennett    (03) 9898 3629

Klara Doroszlay (03) 9889 6014

Mila Dvorakova  (03) 9720 5337

Jim Hewat             (03) 9306 4318

Richard Kings      (03) 9886 7947

Phllis Mc Millan    (03) 9645 4417

Bryan Stertern-Gill (03) 9370 3905