Date: Wed, 12 Feb 1997 11:23:13 +1200 From: Bill Cochrane <wrc1961-AT-ernie.midland.co.nz> Subject: Re: M-I: New Zealand Reforms and Levy et al v Proyect Comrades A short comment on the issue of pointless personal enmity and the more substantive issue of New Zealands economic reforms. Firstly the various aimless wars on this and other marxism lists would appear to be largely intra US left squabbles. As I have remarked elsewhere this is indicative of why the US left has achieved so conspicuously little, apart from the generation of sad bitter egotists and impotent microsects. I suggest that you turn your attention to discussing substantive issues rather than this endless debate of the relative merits of equally repellent individuals. While the economic reforms here have been very wide in scope and have fundamentally transformed NZ society it is worth remembering that we retain a comparatively strong welfare state, ie cheap-free healthcare, a wide range of social welfare benefits and substantially free education. Certainly an array of state supports that provide a substantially larger welfare state than available in the US. For example my wife two children and I are currently on the sickness benefit, which will continue as long as my wife is unable to work, and receive some $400 NZ a week net from the state. My point being that while major inroads have been made into the welfare state a large rump remains, though under some threat. The neo-liberals in this sense have not been completely triumphant. As to why the National party and their vile associates NZ first retain power I would suggest that while things have become markedly tougher for a large number of people the top 1/3 have done well while the middle 1/3 have lost ground but believe that reform was necessary and that any redistributive policies (ie the alliance) would be at their expense. The bottom 1/3 having shouldered the majority of the cost of the reforms are locked out of the political process by this alliance. Bill Cochrane --- from list marxism-international-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
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