September 27, 2015
Blaming Maori poverty on cultural values
Blaming Maori poverty on cultural values
MARTYN BRADBURY
MOTU is an economic think tank based in Wellington who last week released research suggesting that the reason Maori don't succeed economically in NZ is because they have left wing wing collectivist attitudes which don't work well in a capitalist system. They go on to compare this mindset with Black American's, who have a 'right wing' attitude towards capitalism.
I don't even know where to begin in pointing out the serious flaws and insinuations this research makes.
Firstly, let's define 'success' here. Unbridled free market capitalism that benefits housing speculators and damages the environment is not success. A collectivist approach that takes into account Maori values with a focus on sustainability and egalitarianism is going to create far better outcomes than the 1% benefitting form of capitalism we currently endorse. The research doesn't even bother asking if this current free market approach is desirable, it simply accepts that it is and then insinuates that Maori cultural attitudes against it are to blame for their current level of poverty.
Surely a better approach would have been 'is the present form of free market capitalism benefitting all NZers and if it is not, perhaps we have something to learn from Maori values that could help evolve the present system. Instead we have a judgment call on Maori values against a economic system that is unjust in the first place.
The second glaring flaw in this research is the comparison to Black Americans. Apart from the issue of comparing Maori to a culture who were enslaved and brought to America (Maori cultural views on capitalism should have been compared with Native Americans), the research doesn't actually show that this more right wing attitude towards capitalism by Black American's has actually benefited them at all.
The research is confused, arrogant and paternalistic. Maori haven't failed capitalism, capitalism has failed Maori.
Martyn Bradbury
Editor – TheDailyBlog.co.nz
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