My Life

by David Lange

'The problem with recording one's life is not that there is so much that escapes the memory, but that there is so much that does not.'

David Lange has had a rich life. As prime minister of New Zealand from 1984 to 1989 he oversaw the transformation of a society and its economy in what is now seen as an historic turning point in the country's development.

But the tensions created by the fourth Labour government's policies also tore the party apart, led to his resignation as leader and split the electorate along new and surprising political fault lines.

In this long-awaited memoir David Lange revisits those extraordinary years and brings to life the human dimension and consequences of being at the centre of such dramatic events.

From exhilarating triumph over the Muldoon government to championing a nuclear-free policy during the last days of the Cold War, the tragedy of the Rainbow Warrior bombing to titanic battles within cabinet over economic policy, this is a remarkable history as told by a remarkable man.

The story of how the doctor's son from Otahuhu grew up to lead his country and confront the great issues of the day, and of how life after power as well as long battles with various illnesses have affected him, is also a personal and moving account of one man's life, told with all the author's characteristic wit, intelligence and compassion.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Autobiography, Biography, Memoir

316 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2005

About the author

David Russell Lange served as the 32nd Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1984 to 1989. He headed New Zealand's fourth Labour Government, one of the most reforming administrations in his country's history, but one which did not always conform to traditional expectations of a social-democrat party. He had a reputation for cutting wit (sometimes directed against himself) and eloquence. His government implemented far-reaching free-market reforms. Helen Clark described New Zealand's nuclear-free legislation as his legacy. [wikipedia]

Reviews

[Tessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would. I picked it up almost entirely because I want to learn more about this time period (specifically the NZ political economy in the 80s) and not very much at all because I was interested in Lange himself, but it was actually quite an absorbing read - not only the tumultuous social and macroeconomic environment, but many of the political machinations and Lange’s personal background were quite engrossing.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Lange, when he was elected Prime Minster in 1984 was just 41, at that time the youngest New Zealand Prime Minister of the 20th Century. His five years in office covered a difficult time in our history.
Lange was elected after the sitting PM, Rob Muldoon, called for a surprise snap election, a result of Marilyn Waring ‘crossing the floor’ to support a Labour member’s bill to introduce a Nuclear-Free zone. A foreign exchange crisis and the devaluation of the NZ dollar led to Finance Minister, Roger Douglas’s economic reforms – deregulation, removal of tariffs and subsidies, the imposition of a superannuation surcharge and in 1985, the floating of the NZ dollar.
Also during Lange’s leadership the Greenpeace ship “Rainbow Warrior” was bombed and sunk by French agents. And in 1987, during his second term, the Stock Market crashed causing a recession and high unemployment. Whilst Lange had a lot to contend with politically, he was also suffering with health problems – not to mention marital issues.
Divisions within the party ranks lead to the resignation of Roger Douglas after Lange overruled his flat income-tax and universal basic income proposal. When Caucus re-elected Douglas to the Cabinet, Lange saw this as a vote of no-confidence in his leadership and was forced to resign.
In later life, Lange’s battle with diabetes and a kidney disorder led to the amputation of his lower right leg. He died a short time later on August 13th 2005.
“David Lange: my life” was, for me, a really good read. It covered a period of my life where the Labour Party’s policies had a direct impact on me, so it was really interesting to get Lange’s perspective. I have to say too, that Lange, an eloquent speaker, had a very dry sense of humour which came across well in his book. Recommended

[Octavia Cade · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the last few pages of this book, Lange talks about how he travelled down to Dunedin to speak there in 2004, and of his great surprise that he, very ill at the time (he would die the following year) was able to get through his speech without help. I was there for that speech - Lange was one of NZ's great political orators, and I wasn't going to miss it - and it was shocking how poorly he looked. I remember feeling such sympathy for him, and I felt the same reading this book. Although there's flashes of that characteristic sense of humour and verbal flair it's clearly an effort. There's an air of exhaustion, a slow, tired winding down, and a growing awareness that the time for honest appraisal of his achievements is short. It's still an interesting read, however, and an accessible one... and never has the job of Prime Minister looked so unglamorous.

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm pretty apolitical, but this was an interesting autobiography of an important NZ politician. Not as score settling as I thought it might have been, but great disses of Michael Bassett.

[Jesse Northcoat · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I cannot remember any serious sustained discussion in cabinet of the human costs of our economic policy. Some in cabinet did not allow themselves to be sensitised to the politics of the issues we dealt with. Adversity was a provocation to Prebble in particular: the worse things were the more aggressive he became. Douglas talked about the ability of redundant forestry workers and the like to start successful small businesses and did not see the Timaru by-election as any kind of warning to the government. Some in the cabinet expressed concern about the jobs and businesses we lost, but the difficulty lay in the absence of any effective counterweight to the Treasury line, which said that measures to prop up employment while economic adjustment was in progress were palliatives which would hinder achievement of our long-term goals.”

[Baldwin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was cute. The simple sentences and banal vocabulary seemed the antithesis of something that Lange would have written, but I suppose it makes for an accessible read.

Accessible as it may be, don't come here looking for historical accuracy. The intention of this book seems to be Lange trying to distance himself from policies which he was instrumental in implementing. This does supplement an overall understanding of the Fourth Labour Government and the associated economic 'revolution', but supplement is the key word there - read something more objective first.

Unless, of course, you don't care about historical objectivity and the genuine intricacies of Fourth Labour, and are just here for the gossip. Then, you know, this book might be for you.

[Andrew Ritchie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars.

An interesting overview of Lange's life. I'd have loved it to dive deeper into some of the political manoeuvrings and decision making. Deeper insight into his ascent to the leadership the Nuclear Fre Policy and Rainbow Warrior incident for example.

The book becomes more detailed and more interesting in the second half particularly around his relationship with Douglas but I can't help feeling there was more interesting detail that was skimmed over.

[Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this a lot. Lange manages to make up for gliding over the actual impacts of his incompetence as a prime minister with that famous wit and a comfortable narrowness of ambition. As he says, this is not a history of his government, it’s a gossipy politics memoir, and I’m a sucker for those.

[Caleb Griffioen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Couldn’t help but feel sorry for the man who went into politics with the best of intentions but was thwarted by the ideological conflict within his own cabinet. The family history aspect at the beginning was a tad tedious.

[Nick Pak · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick read: easy to read. Interesting to hear about our neoliberal revolution from the mind of one of the protagonists. He writes well

[Jacqui · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some interesting stories from his life but certainly a lot left unsaid

[Kurt Allan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much more entertaining than expected: Lange's ability to tell a story comes through strongly in this autobiography.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot

[Richard Warlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the book, lots to like, starting with family life progressing to politics, well worth reading.

[Keen Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Because this biography was written at the very end of his life, it has allowed Lange to throw off the shackles of expectation and euphemism, granting him a relatively free reign to air his honest thoughts and opinions and as a result the book benefits from some candid insights and revelations. It’s not as if he’s going to be too worried about who he might offend. This biography charts his relatively humble beginnings as part of a middle class family in a largely working class area in Otahuhu in post war south Auckland to becoming the leader of New Zealand.

Lange opens up about many of the bigger issues he had to deal with in his time, like tackling the myth and nonsense surrounding the ANZUS agreement. He had the courage to stand up repeatedly to the US in refusing to welcome the Buchanan into their waters as he upheld their on going nuclear free policy in spite of much criticism from US, Australian and UK governments. His views and experience on the French government backed bombing of the Rainbow Warrior that resulted in one death are telling. He talks about the shameless tactics of the French, who as well as threatening to use crippling trade sanctions also betrayed the agreement between the governments regarding the treatment of those responsible. He summarises, “International law applies to the powerful only so far as the powerful choose to let it apply to them.” When he realised that the guilty agents would not be returned to the agreed island destination.

Lange certainly didn’t have his troubles to seek, with his treacherous mother, regularly humiliating him in public, he also had to battle alcoholism, weight issues and other recurring health problems that would plague him for most of his adult life. He has a number of memorable meetings and shared experiences with many of the world leaders of the day, striking up a good relationship with the Gandhis in India. Though relations with the powerful weren’t always so agreeable, he describes his initial meeting with Margaret Thatcher as “We had talks, but we did not have a conversation. She expressed forthright opposition to the nuclear free policy and had no interest in anything short of our capitulation.” When he met Singapore prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, he asked him outright, “‘Why are you still imprisoning people without trial?’ He put his hand on my shoulder and smiled. He said, ‘Because, David, it has become unfashionable to shoot them’.”

He talks about sitting beside Ronald Reagan at an event. “In light of diplomatic sanctions the State Department had imposed on NZ, he was not supposed to talk to me, and I assumed at first that he was complying with the department’s wishes, but it soon became perfectly apparent that on that day at least he was not capable of engaging in conversation with anyone at the table. He rather mechanically ate his lunch and was taken away.” His thoughts on the politically astute Helen Clark are also interesting, “She was by her own account a survivor: as long as her paddock had a good sole of grass the fire storm could consume the rest.”

Overall this is a highly accessible biography, even for non-Kiwis like myself. What was fairly unique about it was how stripped it was of the disingenuous hyperbole that more egotistical leaders indulge in with biographies. He managed to deflate the self importance of people like Thatcher and Reagan (who clearly took themselves awfully serious) and reduce to them to the mortal, flawless beings they really are and this was one of the main qualities that made it so refreshing. It was compelling and well written and a thoroughly enjoyable read about a truly courageous and smart minded man who did a lot to try and change things for the better for many people, even if he was a little naïve and unprepared along the way.