New Zealand in the mid-1960s: A Nexus of Culture, Economics, and Ethnicity

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to provide a general survey of the nature of New Zealand culture, society, ethnicity, and the nation’s economy in the mid-1960s.  It commences with a snapshot of the country in 1966, and then explores various facets of the country in that decade, with a focus on selected political, economic, and social developments, and the role of Maori in the emerging society and economy.    The nexus between a nation’s culture and history, and its economic condition is well-established (Beugelsdijk & Maseland, 2010), with historical and culturalassessments providing a vital context to economic analyses (Hodgson, 2001). The socio-cultural dimension to economics is critical. It provides frames of reference for economic data, insights into variables that affect economic performance, and helps to explain the decisions of actors in the classical and neoclassical traditions of economic analysis (Smelser, 2010).