The weakening state of democracy in New Zealand is evidenced by the middle class dominance of the political parties, and the rise of elite lobbyists and think tanks
The idea that the Atlas network has taken a special interest in New Zealand's race-relations is fanciful, Stephen. Unfortunately, that has not prevented Mihi Forbes, in her documentary "Trick of Treaty" linking Australia and New Zealand together as victims of a concerted international effort, masterminded by the Atlas Network, to crush the aspirations of their indigenous peoples. As free-lance journalist Graham Adams has demonstrated in "Mihi Forbes and the Great Atlas Conspiracy", his analysis of Forbes' documentary, these claims cannot be substantiated. Your comment, like Forbes' political analysis, appears to be based on the proposition that ideas and policies of which your "side" disapproves should be suppressed, and that there is something sinister (bordering on criminal?) about people and organisations of like mind, with common interests, banding together to advance their cause. Where would the Maori cause be now if its opponents had persuaded a sympathetic government to suppress its ideas and policies? There's a very good reason why Freedom of Expression and Freedom of Association are fundamental human rights - without them, unpopular ideas, unpopular causes, and unpopular people would never get a fair hearing.
CT there you go again labeling people as conspiracy theorist because their ideas are antithetical to your own. You don't need a conspiracy when big money of industries is involved. The connection that political individuals in Australia & NZ have with the Atlas Network can't be underestimated and deserves investigation and Journalist such as Mihi Forbes are right to research whether this has legitimacy or not simple. If you believe that Maori only got their 'cause' because of pakeha benevolence and not contributing it to Maori persistence of fighting for equality against the backdrop of dispossession since the 1840s (Wairau Affray 1843 then kidnapping imprisoning Te Rauparaha 1846) than you clearly don't understand Maori ideological connection to this country.
Indeed we have, Rob, and quite a few of those times you were heading right as I was heading left. Which is why it has been so gratifying, of late, to see you hacking your way back through the ideological creepers towards a more left-wing position. Although, I must say, your current detour through the thickets of ethno-nationalism is a bit of a worry. Never mind, I'm sure you'll make it back to the big broad tent in the social-democratic clearing eventually. It may help you to reach that clearing more speedily, however, if you follow the voices of those who cry "freedom" - they're already there.
Read Graham Adam's expose of Mihi's documentary, Stephen. All the information you need is in there. If you still can't detect Mihi's conspiracist thinking after that, then there's no more I can do to help you.
Well said, Tony. And, yes, of course there is a pathway to victory. All the evidence, however, points to the superior efficacy of vertically oriented organisations - political parties, unions, effective pressure groups - and to the failure of horizontal structures such as Occupy Wall Street and its offshoots. Getting past the woke entanglements that hold back so much activism - remember what happened to School Strike 4 Climate? - that will be the hardest part. After that, the script sort of writes itself.
CT Mihingarangi Forbes is doing journalism depicting her as a rabbit hole conspiracy theorist is a weak NZ First narrative. The Atlas Network is an elitism club and has infiltrated our political arena align with political parties that have threaten our constitutional framework (TOW) which underpins our democracy and peaceful existence in Aotearoa. Mihingarangi Forbes is known for her Journalism regarding Maori so she is doing her job asking David Seymour about his links to an organisation that targets indigenous populations globally.
We (New Zealanders) pay too much attention to personality politics when we should be looking at the objective conditions that determine outcomes. For example, the long and relentless swing to neoliberal processes and ideas that caused the destruction of health and education systems (to name only 2) was authored by the Labour Party (ironically known as "the Left") since the Douglas/Lange actions of the '80's. This in no way exonerates the National Party who acted upon the legislation of their "opposition". It is more than time to rid ourselves of the State Sector Act (1988) which wiped out the idea that the ministries job was to work for 'the people' - the Act states that a business background is all that is necessary to run any ministry. For business read "exploitation"...................
Chris and I have passed each other in the political jungle a few times, typically heading in different directions. Right now I can only hear him shouting “freedom” in the distance where he seems to have got trapped . He is not wrong that Labour is lost and even if it finds a Tarzan to lead them may remain lost. But that does not mean we have to surrender the jungle to his captors.
OK, so all is doomed because democracy has been hijacked by the well-off middle classes in their unearned wealth creating homes, and as landlords and business owners living off cheap imported labour? Is there no solution to the inequality we live in today? Inequality of wealth, of education, of health outcomes, of homes, of career opportunities? Are we so overwhelmed by the situation that there will be no alternative to this coalition of cruelty? Come on folks, let get some motivation to correct the last 30 years worth of politics that has given what we have today. Are we so downtrodden that there is no hope of organising at a ground level or even through the social media jungle, as has been done in the past?
It would be fantastic if more working-class people enrolled into the Greens (and had formerly joined with the Alliance). Without a doubt, their policies have been the most suited for the working class, unions and wealth distribution. The Alliance pushed Labour left in 1999 and the Greens pushed Labour left on both economic and climate initiatives. For example, a wealth tax would unlikely have been considered by Labour without pressure from the Greens.
We need to acknowledge that the days of the working-class heroes of Fraser, Nash and Kirk have come to an end. This is because in part they believed that higher education was a right for all. They made tertiary education mostly fee-free. In some nations such as the USA fully 50% of the population enters tertiary education (with just under 40% receiving degrees, most from 4-year institutions ...unlike our reduced 3-year degrees...1/4 lopped off with obvious results). Tertiary degrees have become the norm in the developed world like high school degrees were a century ago.
Recent populist sentiment stoked by the clever diversion of culture wars (on the right and some on the “left” such as Chris and the Daily Blog) has pitted the people against the “elite”, those smart alec people – the geeks in high school who now get paid well and have comfortable lives. These smarty pants give us smart-alec science on vaccines and climate, they say, just to “prop up their privilege”. They try to “give everything” (that should be ours) to minorities and trans people. What effective time-tested propaganda! Divide and conquer.
...Meanwhile, the real elites run to the bank laughing.
Talent follows the money (i.e. salaries). The most talented people have avoided politics or unions, going instead into the better paid roles in commerce, and finance in particular.
Both sides are simply doing illegal and immoral things against the peoples best interests who pay them. As for women and children they remain unrepresented and alienated from their rights. All of them.And the forces to keep it that way are truly heinous, vile, infinitely patient and institutionalised. Devilishly evil.
Demos in ancient Athens was actually the whole free population of Athens. What we call working class were slaves with no rights whatsoever. So democracy is the power and rule of all, not a special class or a social group.
The idea that the Atlas network has taken a special interest in New Zealand's race-relations is fanciful, Stephen. Unfortunately, that has not prevented Mihi Forbes, in her documentary "Trick of Treaty" linking Australia and New Zealand together as victims of a concerted international effort, masterminded by the Atlas Network, to crush the aspirations of their indigenous peoples. As free-lance journalist Graham Adams has demonstrated in "Mihi Forbes and the Great Atlas Conspiracy", his analysis of Forbes' documentary, these claims cannot be substantiated. Your comment, like Forbes' political analysis, appears to be based on the proposition that ideas and policies of which your "side" disapproves should be suppressed, and that there is something sinister (bordering on criminal?) about people and organisations of like mind, with common interests, banding together to advance their cause. Where would the Maori cause be now if its opponents had persuaded a sympathetic government to suppress its ideas and policies? There's a very good reason why Freedom of Expression and Freedom of Association are fundamental human rights - without them, unpopular ideas, unpopular causes, and unpopular people would never get a fair hearing.
CT there you go again labeling people as conspiracy theorist because their ideas are antithetical to your own. You don't need a conspiracy when big money of industries is involved. The connection that political individuals in Australia & NZ have with the Atlas Network can't be underestimated and deserves investigation and Journalist such as Mihi Forbes are right to research whether this has legitimacy or not simple. If you believe that Maori only got their 'cause' because of pakeha benevolence and not contributing it to Maori persistence of fighting for equality against the backdrop of dispossession since the 1840s (Wairau Affray 1843 then kidnapping imprisoning Te Rauparaha 1846) than you clearly don't understand Maori ideological connection to this country.
Indeed we have, Rob, and quite a few of those times you were heading right as I was heading left. Which is why it has been so gratifying, of late, to see you hacking your way back through the ideological creepers towards a more left-wing position. Although, I must say, your current detour through the thickets of ethno-nationalism is a bit of a worry. Never mind, I'm sure you'll make it back to the big broad tent in the social-democratic clearing eventually. It may help you to reach that clearing more speedily, however, if you follow the voices of those who cry "freedom" - they're already there.
Read Graham Adam's expose of Mihi's documentary, Stephen. All the information you need is in there. If you still can't detect Mihi's conspiracist thinking after that, then there's no more I can do to help you.
Well said, Tony. And, yes, of course there is a pathway to victory. All the evidence, however, points to the superior efficacy of vertically oriented organisations - political parties, unions, effective pressure groups - and to the failure of horizontal structures such as Occupy Wall Street and its offshoots. Getting past the woke entanglements that hold back so much activism - remember what happened to School Strike 4 Climate? - that will be the hardest part. After that, the script sort of writes itself.
CT Mihingarangi Forbes is doing journalism depicting her as a rabbit hole conspiracy theorist is a weak NZ First narrative. The Atlas Network is an elitism club and has infiltrated our political arena align with political parties that have threaten our constitutional framework (TOW) which underpins our democracy and peaceful existence in Aotearoa. Mihingarangi Forbes is known for her Journalism regarding Maori so she is doing her job asking David Seymour about his links to an organisation that targets indigenous populations globally.
We (New Zealanders) pay too much attention to personality politics when we should be looking at the objective conditions that determine outcomes. For example, the long and relentless swing to neoliberal processes and ideas that caused the destruction of health and education systems (to name only 2) was authored by the Labour Party (ironically known as "the Left") since the Douglas/Lange actions of the '80's. This in no way exonerates the National Party who acted upon the legislation of their "opposition". It is more than time to rid ourselves of the State Sector Act (1988) which wiped out the idea that the ministries job was to work for 'the people' - the Act states that a business background is all that is necessary to run any ministry. For business read "exploitation"...................
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Chris and I have passed each other in the political jungle a few times, typically heading in different directions. Right now I can only hear him shouting “freedom” in the distance where he seems to have got trapped . He is not wrong that Labour is lost and even if it finds a Tarzan to lead them may remain lost. But that does not mean we have to surrender the jungle to his captors.
True 'people power' is demonstrated by referendums. Switzerland and many US states keep the elites at bay by the use of true democracy.
OK, so all is doomed because democracy has been hijacked by the well-off middle classes in their unearned wealth creating homes, and as landlords and business owners living off cheap imported labour? Is there no solution to the inequality we live in today? Inequality of wealth, of education, of health outcomes, of homes, of career opportunities? Are we so overwhelmed by the situation that there will be no alternative to this coalition of cruelty? Come on folks, let get some motivation to correct the last 30 years worth of politics that has given what we have today. Are we so downtrodden that there is no hope of organising at a ground level or even through the social media jungle, as has been done in the past?
It would be fantastic if more working-class people enrolled into the Greens (and had formerly joined with the Alliance). Without a doubt, their policies have been the most suited for the working class, unions and wealth distribution. The Alliance pushed Labour left in 1999 and the Greens pushed Labour left on both economic and climate initiatives. For example, a wealth tax would unlikely have been considered by Labour without pressure from the Greens.
We need to acknowledge that the days of the working-class heroes of Fraser, Nash and Kirk have come to an end. This is because in part they believed that higher education was a right for all. They made tertiary education mostly fee-free. In some nations such as the USA fully 50% of the population enters tertiary education (with just under 40% receiving degrees, most from 4-year institutions ...unlike our reduced 3-year degrees...1/4 lopped off with obvious results). Tertiary degrees have become the norm in the developed world like high school degrees were a century ago.
Recent populist sentiment stoked by the clever diversion of culture wars (on the right and some on the “left” such as Chris and the Daily Blog) has pitted the people against the “elite”, those smart alec people – the geeks in high school who now get paid well and have comfortable lives. These smarty pants give us smart-alec science on vaccines and climate, they say, just to “prop up their privilege”. They try to “give everything” (that should be ours) to minorities and trans people. What effective time-tested propaganda! Divide and conquer.
...Meanwhile, the real elites run to the bank laughing.
Perhaps if the “working class” NZ left joined forces with both the tertiary educated left and minority left - as they did with the Black Panthers in the 60s, we might not be continuing our trajectory one step forward and 2 steps backwards. https://theconversation.com/chicago-1969-when-black-panthers-aligned-with-confederate-flag-wielding-working-class-whites-68961 and https://www.pbs.org/video/hidden-histories-1708288264/
Talent follows the money (i.e. salaries). The most talented people have avoided politics or unions, going instead into the better paid roles in commerce, and finance in particular.
Both sides are simply doing illegal and immoral things against the peoples best interests who pay them. As for women and children they remain unrepresented and alienated from their rights. All of them.And the forces to keep it that way are truly heinous, vile, infinitely patient and institutionalised. Devilishly evil.
Demos in ancient Athens was actually the whole free population of Athens. What we call working class were slaves with no rights whatsoever. So democracy is the power and rule of all, not a special class or a social group.
A thoughtful article, thank you Chris.