New Zealand’s Far-Reaching Reforms: A Case Study on How to Save Democracy from Itself - Kindle edition by Frezza, Bill. Politics & Social Sciences Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

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New Zealand’s Far-Reaching Reforms: A Case Study on How to Save Democracy from Itself Kindle Edition

by Bill Frezza (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.4 69 ratings

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Pathbreaking, market-liberal fiscal reforms in New Zealand
A little over two decades ago, New Zealand’s economy was in shambles. Inflation ran rampant, economic growth fell flat, and soaring public debt set new records. Today, New Zealand outscores almost every other country in the world, including the United States, in terms of overall prosperity, personal freedom, and good governance.

How did they do it? Under the leadership of two politicians from opposing parties, Sir Roger Douglas and Ruth Richardson, economic reality was embraced and tough political decisions were made. This case study tells their story.

The experience in New Zealand offers lessons for democracies everywhere that face fiscal, monetary policy, and ultimately political crises.

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Print length

65 pages
Language

English
Sticky notes

On Kindle Scribe
Publication date

July 16, 2015
Reading age

16 - 18 years
Grade level

11 - 12
File size

4519 KB
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Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B011WEJDL4
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Universidad Francisco Marroquín; 1st edition (July 16, 2015)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 16, 2015
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 4519 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 65 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #2,356,692 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #1,232 in Two-Hour Politics & Social Sciences Short Reads
- #7,327 in Two-Hour Teen & Young Adult Short Reads
- #9,736 in Political Science (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
4.4 69 ratings

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5

69 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

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We (the United States) need more success stories, such ...

Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2016

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We (the United States) need more success stories, such as this one. It is persuasive about how to recover liberty by reforming the legislative and executive branches (nothing said about the judiciary). New Zealand had it harder to accomplish than it should be in the USA because it took leadership in both of its major parties. Hard to imagine getting that here.

I am trying to imagine what leaders we have had since the founding generation passed away. Lincoln and FD Roosevelt come to mind and possibly Reagan (who was able to control his party and achieve some important compromises with the minority party (Rostenkowski and Tip O'Neil). Unfortunately, we have to live with the results achieved by FD Roosevelt, which suffer mightily from a lack of economic knowledge and theory in existence at the time. Reagan's reforms were not lasting, and show what happens when you only lead in changing a few substantive laws, and not in institutional reforms, such as were accomplished in New Zealand.

2 people found this helpful

America can be saved!

Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2016

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This book shows that big government can change its' financial direction without violence. The majority of the book highlights the political battles required to accomplish a major change in government fiscal policy. The most important message is that it took the will power of some very courageous people to shake up their political parties to facilitate that change. (Sound familiar....election 2016) Several political careers were curtailed, but the actions of a few saved a nation from going down the Keynesian economic trail to massive debt. This short book highlights the those major changes in reducing government entitlements, optimizing government employees, making every (most?) government agency's finances transparent and accountable, and creating legislation forcing public notification, reason and remedy for excess spending. You'll never get rid of politicians, but making their monetary actions transparent and accountable may help prevent them from using your grandkids earnings to fund their current political promises.

One person found this helpful

Michael Mechsner

Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2016

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New Zealand is a small country, so one generation of reformers can get it done. I doubt that it connexion the USA. This election year has solidified that for me.

This is a book that should be read by all ...

Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2015

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This is a book that should be read by all Americans and those who live in the other banana republics. The US has degenerated from a republic, which has protections against excess populism, to a democracy, which does not. Most democracies end in dictatorships after the ballooning debts cannot be repaid, the currency collapses and a strong man restores order. This was the case in the French democracy after the revolution which ended in Napoleon, the Kerensky democracy after the Russian revolution ended in Lenin, the Weimar Republic ended in Hitler, all the banana republics and almost all of the African democracies that had one man, one vote one time, such as Zimbabwe. New Zealand is an exception and definitely a model for the US.

4 people found this helpful

The Practical Politics of Building Perpetual Accountability & Transparency into Democratic Governments

Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2015

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Straightforward reporting first tells the New Zealand story and then distills its lessons for the practical politics of actually getting across-the-board accountability and transparency built into the framework of democratic governments, so it cannot be undone by subsequent self-serving (or even well-meaning) fools.

A simple, but not simple-minded approach to explain complex economic policy, which doesn’t have to be complicated….and perhaps, really can deliver the most good for the most people in a democracy. This is the kind of 21st century pamphlet Thomas Payne would be writing if he were alive to see what we have made of our democracy.

7 people found this helpful

Prescription for the United States?

Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2016

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Loved this little book, because of its clarity and descriptive statements about the measures NZ took to get the country back on sound economic footing. Give politicians enough time, and they will do-good a country into the ground, because most are economic illiterates. This book shows what should be done when the country is in the cesspool of economic straits. Good for Richardson and Douglas!!!

Clarence C. Dumais

What a revelation! In just two decades, New ...

Reviewed in the United States on November 21, 2015

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What a revelation! In just two decades, New Zealand went from a nearly bankrupt basketcase to a thriving solvent economy and this book describes how that feat was accomplished. It clearly demonstrates both winning and losing policies. Particularly impressive to me was the amount of opposition mounted against the corrective measures that ultimately proved so successful. This is precisely the prescription that the US of A needs at this time.

2 people found this helpful

Clear and concise

Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2017

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When the leaders of two opposing parties share a set of rational values or goals... then pursue them with resolve, energy and forthright transparency (despite gnashing of teeth from all corners) good governance can result. Good intentions combined with policies based on vote-seeking will not do the job.

Top reviews from other countries

Eduardo Plaza

Another way is possible.

Reviewed in Spain on September 6, 2015

Verified Purchase

Absolutely a must read document if you are interested in the real development of your country, specially if you believe that you are living in a developed country.

One person found this helpful

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