Chardonnay socialist is a derogatory Australasian term used to describe those on the political left with comfortable middle-class (or better) incomes, tertiary education, and a taste for the finer things in life. (Chardonnay is a style of white wine.) Australasia is the area that includes Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, and the many smaller islands in the vicinity, most of which are the eastern part of Indonesia. ... In politics, left-wing, political left, leftism, or simply the left, are terms that refer (with no particular precision) to the segment of the political spectrum typically associated with any of several strains of socialism, social democracy, or liberalism (especially but not exclusively in the American sense of the word... The middle class refers to people neither at the top nor bottom of a social hierarchy. ... Tertiary education, also referred to as third-stage or third level education, is the educational level following the completion of a school providing a secondary education such as a high school, secondary school, or gymnasium. ... Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make a white varietal wine. ... A glass of red wine Wine display at the Mt Markey Winery This article is about the beverage. ...

It is similar in thrust to the American term limousine liberal, though without quite the same taint of great wealth attaching to it. Limousine liberal is a pejorative American political term for a wealthy liberal person that expresses a deep concern for the poor, yet does not spend any considerable portion of his or her wealth to help poor people. ... Wealth usually refers to money and property. ...

The term "chardonnay socialist" is regularly used by people from throughout the political spectrum to criticise opponents. For example, Australian left-wing "true believers" levelled it at supporters of the failed republic referendum of 1999 (where the vote was split not along conventional party lines but very much along socio-economic divides, with the rich overwhelmingly supporting the change while the less well-off were opposed – a superficially bizarre pattern for a non-economic issue). Staunch Australian right-wingers, on the other hand, level it at those who support such things as government funding for the arts, free tertiary education, and the ABC – all causes which are described by critics as "middle-class welfare". Emergence of the Commonwealth of Australia Main article: Australian federation After European settlement in 1788, Australia was politically organized as a number of separate British colonies, eventually six in all. ... 1999 is a common year starting on Friday Anno Domini (or the Current Era), and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... In politics, right-wing, the political right, or simply the right, are terms which refer, with no particular precision, to the segment of the political spectrum in opposition to left-wing politics. ... Resources ArtLex. ... The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is Australias national public broadcaster. ... Welfare - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ...

See also

• Champagne socialist
• Gauche caviar (France)
• Left-wing politics
• Liberal elite
• Salon bolshevik