THE POLITICS OF MODERATION

This paper presents a case study of the reaction of the Queensland Teachers Union to the moderation proposals of the 1970 Radford Report. After reviewing the events surrounding the development and implementation of Union policy concerning moderation, the implications of these events for the Union and for education in Queensland are discussed. These implications are considered in terms of the Union's internal characteristics, its principal political targets, alternative sources of influence and the industrial and political tactics adopted. The study demonstrates the importance of intramural divisions, the strategic role of individual activists and the interaction between conservative and militant pressures in determining the nature and effectiveness of teachers' organizations as pressure groups.