Even politically quiescent populations can be roused to action if the government stupidity is glaring enough. New Zealand may present just such a case. The question is whether an isolated small country can create a ripple effect. New Zealand Farmers Fed Up with Extreme Climate Policies Eric Worrall Reuters is predicting the possible election of a right wing government on a platform of repealing climate policies which are devastating the countryside. . . .
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-...vote-over-climate-change-policies-2023-09-27/ Pre-covid a double pack of french cut lamb ribs from Kiwi land at Costco was about $20. Now they have come down to about $20 bucks for a single rack. They were pushing better than $30 for the revised single pack. Very Green Innit?
Anyone following NZ politics knows that the government there has been struggling for a while. It is one of the reasons the previous PM resigned - hoping to give her successor time to build a profile. It is worth noting that this government is in its third term. The last NZ government to run for more than 3 terms was voted out of office in....1972. Since then 3 terms is the most any government has had. New Zealanders like to turn over their governments every 8-9 years, more or less. If this had been a right wing government in its third term up against a left wing opposition pushing a bunch of green friendly policies it would likely be in trouble. That would not prove that NZ voters were suddenly embracing green policies. Attributing this to any one or two issues, is MUCH more likely to reflect the prejudices of the person making the claim than any objective political conditions in NZ.
In addition to the 'its time' factor the cost of living issues that exist in the US exist everywhere else right now, including NZ. Combine those factors & the government really needs some good luck, such as a wretchedly bad opposition. While I'm not a fan of their politics, that doesn't appear to be the case in NZ. If history is any guide there will be a coalition of right of centre parties that will govern for 2-3 terms. If they really stuff it up they might limp into a second term in coalition with some fringe parties. One term national governments aren't common in comparable systems and especially not in this part of the world. In NZ the last one was in the mid-70s & in Australia it was the Great Depression. It would take a spectacularly bad or unlucky government to change that.
The government system in New Zealand has fewer checks and balances than in Australia or the United States. That means the government can be more prone to drastic swings in policies, since there is less pressure to reach a consensus and compromise from different sides.
Understanding their history is crucial. New Zealand used to be one of the most regulated countries in the world. They then liberalized, heavily deregulated, and enjoyed decades of prosperity as a result. There is a large contingent that doesn't like the perceived regression to how it used to be, are offended by Ardern and Hipkins' focus on international prestige over domestic issues, and strongly dislike the direction the country is going. There is another that is strongly cosmopolitan and internationalist in outlook, passionate about co-governance with different ethnic groups, and is appalled by the prospect of a rollback of the Ardern years. So you have these two broad coalitions that disagree on the future path forward, and a cohort of independents that swing the balance between them. As of late those who aren't strongly identified with either perspective have been hit by the old adage "it's the economy, stupid!". Land rights for gay whales get on people's nerves when they can't pay their bills. I'd caution against chalking this up to some intellectual revival on the part of the Kiwis. They are a complicated people with two completely incompatible visions of the future. While the pendulum may be swinging slightly to the right for now, don't expect this to be permanent. The guilt trip of the internationalist crowd will draw people back to the left sooner or later. I still consider them a contender for the most troubled nation in the Anglosphere, along with Canada (obviously). If you had told me I'd be saying that 15 years ago I'd have laughed in your face. The deciding factor in all this is the ratchet effect: it's a lot easier to pass a law than to repeal it. This will decide the future of NZ more than any temporary swings to either side. All Labor need to do is pass a bunch of legislation when they do have the chance and the rest will take care of itself.
This line puts everything else you wrote in perspective. If you can look at the US & UK and somehow declare Canada & New Zealand more 'troubled' you are filtering information to a point where it raises serious questions about your insights. Nothing going on in NZ is remotely as 'troubled' as the current state of politics & government in the US or multiple overlapping issues in the UK. NZ will manage itself just fine no matter who is running it.
The Anglosphere is ridiculously huge, And that India sits on top of the heap, could be argued. But yeah, a bit ridiculous calling out NZ and CA when the US is currently leading the West with the Trump s show.
