Why does Australia, a nation with one of the world s best economies, have such a dim view of its own performance? Why does it see itself as worse off than some of the basket - case economies of southern Europe? How did a country that was smart enough to avoid recession and mass unemployment despite a global meltdown get so down on itself? In Glory Daze Jim Chalmers argues that the combination of hyper - partisanship and self - serving incentives in politics have resulted in a deficit of national self - esteem. This insider account provides a unique perspective on national identity. Chalmers concludes that unless a stop is put to the poisonous politics of recent years Australia runs the risk of squandering the existing national advantages and compromising our ability to tackle the challenges of the future.