NZ Fabian Society event: Brian Easton on Transforming New Zealand
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9:21 am, February 13th, 2025 - 7 comments
Categories: Left -
Tags: brian easton, fabians, NZ Fabian Society
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Brian Easton will discuss the above topic at 2/57 Willis Street, Wellington at 5:30pm on Wednesday 26 February at 2/57 Willis Street, Wellington
The sub-title to the above is “Why is the Left failing?” Brian Easton’s analysis is based on his view that while the Ardern/Hipkins government announced it would be transformational, it failed in that ambition. He has covered the topic fully in his latest book In Open Seas. His talk will also offer some thoughts on how a future left government may have more success with this laudable ambition. Indded such ambition may be necessary for it to return to government.
Brian Easton is one of New Zealand’s foremost organic intellectuals with a large range of books and articles that have made a significant contribution to left thinking.
All welcome. If you would like to attend please register here. The event will be live-streamed and the link for that is here. It will also be posted to YouTube.
__________________________________________________________________
Bookings can be made here.
From Brian Easton’s website,
BRIAN EASTON is an independent scholar who researches, writes, works as a consultant and teaches in economic, social statistics, public policy and New Zealand Studies.
Front page photo via E-Tangata
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- Luxon reaffirms NZ’s support for Ukraine after ‘Coalition of the Willing’ call wit...
The Prime Minister attended a virtual summit to discuss the potential deployment of peacekeepers in Ukraine. ...51 minutes ago - When the PM claps, is it applause or agreement?
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Most def registered for this one, even though it will be on video stream.
Such an unassuming giant who has been through so many eras of our economic development.
He puts the economic back into political economy. Full respect that he is continuing to publish after so many years.
I hope you write a review that lists his key points & post it here. Anyone who googles Why is the Left failing? gets enough takes on the topic to provide food for thought!
A good example: https://jacobin.com/2024/11/the-left-gaza-democrats-movement
Easy to see how a strong moral stance can pull enough potential supporters away to lose the election, huh? So, to make it a general principle, why do leftist politicians copy rightist politicians so much? Rogernomics, for instance, produced our neolib bipartisan consensus. No comprehension of the principle of brand differentiation, because they weren't taught it in school?
When so many people want a positive alternative, why not provide it? Pretending doesn't really work as a political strategy – too many sense the fakery.
Why are we not examining "Why the Right is Rising?" and how we counter that.
Why are we not examining modern propaganda? and how we counter that.
Deflection to blame the Woke?
Just saying…
They are good questions to ask.
As a card carrying union member and grandson of an organiser at the Feilding freezing works, I welcome an examination of the left. Especially from a mind such as Easton's.
Why has our Labour party drifted so far from it's founding values that it runs record migration, importing cooks (not chefs), welders and truck drivers.
That brings in so many foreign nurses that in some parts of the country they are over half the work force.
Why can't they tell industry to invest in their staff, rather than drive down wages and conditions?
We have just heard recently about migrant exploitation in Hawkes Bay. That isn't exclusively at the feet of National.
For a political view point that valued unity and solidarity, there are now so many fissures and cracks, latching on to a common goal is neigh on impossible. Identity politics, patriarchy smashing and 40 years of neo-liberalism have done us no favours.
In short, I want something to vote for, not to vote against.
Nearly everything on TS atm is that. It's necessary but not sufficient. Commited lefties will vote left, the swing vote is a different matter. If the left can't present something worth voting for, then we will continue in neoliberal drift until populism takes over.
I'd be surprised if Easton talks about woke.
Give us a vision of something other than working your whole life to pay a house off while trying to get enough money together to not have a miserable retirement, because that's about all life has become.
Get back to the good old days when you had the same gp for years not a quick ph call 10 days after you rang for an appointment.
this.