Question:

Was Alfred Deakin stupid or modest to decline his honours/awards and knighthood?

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Again, i am doing a mind map on him and i would like to know some opinions :)

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  1. This piece from the Boyer Lectures on Radio National presented by Professor Geoffrey Blainey makes sense to me.

    I think it points out that his choice may have been motivated by the fact that he was a clever and intutive politician in touch with the people of Australia.

    You may find it interesting and informative in regard to Alfred Deakin's choice not to accept a knighthood or other honour.

    He is also the only PM to reject title 'Right Honorable'.

    Heroes and Tall Poppies.

    Compared to the British Isles, the idea of equality rode high in Australia. Indeed Australia was often viewed, rightly or wrongly, as the land where the tall poppy was deliberately cut down.

    In felling tall poppies, however, Australia is not unique. A democratic country, especially an experienced one, is specially prone to topple the tall poppy. Politics particularly are partisan and intense. Anybody on the other side, or seen to be lending a supporting idea to the other side, is fair game. In Australia many politicians, by the time of the new Commonwealth, were wary of appearing to grow too tall. Loyal to Britain and its customs, nonetheless they were wary of accepting knighthoods. Even leaders on the right wing or centre were uneasy about titles and wary of the Australian voters' attitude to them. Alfred Deakin who by 1910 had three times been prime minister, refused a knighthood. He preferred or thought it wisest, as did all the Labor prime ministers, to be called 'Mister'. His tombstone in the St Kilda cemetery is, presumably at his own request, silent about his civic worth.

    http://www.abc.net.au/rn/boyers/stories/...

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