Re: [OPE-L] The Development of Capitalism in New Zealand: Towards a Marxist Analysis

[Jerry Levy <Gerald_A_Levy@xxxxxxx>]

> You are correct, I didn't take a position. I didn't take a position
> because
> due to unfortunate circumstances I never got to research it as it ought to
> be researched and write a story about it as it ought to be told for my
> audience, i.e. carefully convey the real meaning of what happened and how
> people experienced that, good and bad. And usually I don't like to take a
> position, unless I feel that I have inquired into it sufficiently. I used
> to regard the New Zealand state as basically imperialist, but if I say
> that,  what does it mean? You have to explain specifically what it
> means, what the implications are. Anybody can toss around labels,
> my job is to understand what it really means.
>
> I can sketch a few things though.

Jurriaan:

Yes, you did!  The section of your post on NZ could almost qualify as a
wikipedia entry on New Zealand.  Come to think of it, I guess that could
be done: you could modify the wikipedia entry so that it more reflects
a "people's history" of NZ.

In any event, I appreciate the thoroughness of your reply and your
unwillingness to offer a simple answer to the complex issue of how
the NZ economy should best be characterized and understood in
relation to the world capitalist economy.

In solidarity, Jerry