The Wider Context

The Government didn't cause the economic crisis, although it's policies have not helped much. The crisis has its roots in the nature of New Zealand's capitalist economy, which is subject to vaccillations between boom and bust. The existence of a 'freer, more competitive market economy', which is what the present critics want, is one of the things that guarantees the busts will keep on coming along. Chapman's supporters think they see a way out for themselves at the moment. Whether Muldoon comes round to Chapman's way of seeing things or not doesn't really matter. Neither approach holds out much promise for the people. Their policies affect: the people who get laid off from jobs, the people who can't protect their standards of living, the people whe serve the interests of big business and benefit from it only inasmuch as it keeps them happy enough to go on serving it.