No Left Turn

by Chris Trotter

A bold and passionate re-examination of New Zealand political history by a leading social commentator. The way some histories tell it, Europeans came to New Zealand keen to establish a Little Britain in the South Seas. Not so, says Chris Trotter. Most nineteenth century immigrants wanted something better than the misery and oppression of the world they had left, and Trotter reveals just how close they and their descendants came to building a new one. On each occasion, however, their achievements were resisted, and ultimately overturned, by those who saw New Zealand simply as a source of profits. Trotter pulls no punches in describing the methods these partisans of profit used to ensure there was no Left turn: jamming radio broadcasts, political arson - even murder. From Massey's Cossacks to Muldoon's riot squads; violence and repression have been the Right's weapons - not the Left's. Charting the evolution of New Zealand's unique brand of democratic socialism, Trotter offers insightful and often surprising verdicts on the leading participants, including John A Lee, Peter Fraser, Fintan Patrick Walsh, David Lange and Helen Clark. Passionately argued, infused with poetic imagery and comprehensively researched, No Left Turn is a unique and indispensable contribution to our political and social history - an inspiration for anyone who puts money second and people first, and a deliberate provocation to everyone else.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction

384 pages, Paperback

First published August 17, 2007

About the author

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Tr...

Reviews

[Clint · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extensive coverage of New Zealand's political history which is even more relevant today. Essential reading.

[Simon Mee · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is based on secondary sources, so should be mainly viewed as a synthesis of more detailed arguments. There are also a few issues.
* The book is written from the perspective of the Unions and major personalities. Details of individual members of the working class and their views are mainly lacking. Worse, the experiences of women and minorities are barely dealt with, and their standard bearers contemptuously referred to as distracting from the main class battle. The book has dated very badly in little over 10 years as a result.
* Characters are given omniscient powers when making decisions, even when the evidence does not support it, e.g. Nash's motivations to oppose the Naenae development are assumed by Trotter despite two opinions to the contrary.
* Florid phrases predominate, whether quoting from other writers ("Judas was a gentleman compared to a scab"); heavy use of poems (J K Baxter's "Crossing the Cook Strait" being used in three different contexts); and Trotter's own words ("in her essential character Britannia had not changed; she was still the vicious, grasping, duplicitous, class-conscious old harridan she had always been"). It slows the book down and rather than illustrating points, left me feeling the underlying arguments were undeveloped. Where he deliberately eschews references to higher powers, such as the MMP referendum, he writes well

I found it a slog up to the 80s. Mainly an introductory source.

[Sam Marelich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating history of New Zealand as seen through a left wing interpretation. A little preachy in places but well worth your time. Highly recommended as a good way to give yourself a general overview of New Zealand's history.