The Lucky Country

The Lucky Country

First edition
Author	Donald Horne
Language	English
Genre	Non-fiction
Publication date	1964
Publication place	Australia
Media type	Print (hardback)
Pages	288
ISBN	978-0143180029

The Lucky Country is a 1964 book by Donald Horne. The title has become a nickname for Australia^[1] and is generally used favourably, although the origin of the phrase was negative in the context of the book. Among other things, it has been used in reference to Australia's natural resources, weather, history, its early dependency of the British system, distance from problems elsewhere in the world, and other sorts of supposed prosperity.

Horne's intent in writing the book was to portray Australia's climb to power and wealth based almost entirely on luck rather than the strength of its political or economic system, which Horne believed was "second rate". In addition to political and economic weaknesses, he also lamented on the lack of innovation and ambition, as well as a philistinism in the absence of art, among the Australian population, viewed by Horne as being complacent and indifferent to intellectual matters. He also commented on matters relating to Australian puritanism, as well as conservatism, particularly in relation to censorship and politics.