Monthly Archives: January 2000

Growth Rings: New Zealander Of the Millennium: Tane Mahuta

This entry was posted in Environment & Resources, Listener, Political Economy & History on by .

Listener 29 January, 2000

Keywords: Environment; Political Economy & History;

Perhaps our best image of a millennium is the polished cross-segment of one of those great kauri trees in many of our museums. At its centre is some date over a thousand years ago. The various growth rings around it are marked – the arrival of the Maori, the arrival of Tasman, and so on. The last ring is the year the tree was cut down, typically in the time of my grandfather.

The Centre Swings: Policies to Win 2002

This entry was posted in Listener, Political Economy & History on by .

Listener 15 January, 2000.

Keywords: Political Economy & History;

While there appeared to be a big swing to the left in the 1999 election, the actual swing was only a little more than 2 percentage points. But the parties in the political centre between Labour and National, which won about 19 percent of the vote in 1996, won only 9 percent in 1999. The change of government reflects a massive shift of votes from these centre parties, notably New Zealand First, to Labour. The voters have got their desire 1996 election outcome, thwarted by the New Zealand First-National coalition, of a Labour-led government. But instead of it being pulled towards the centre by New Zealand First, the 1999 government is more pulled to the left by its Alliance and Green wings.

Shakespeare As Economist

This entry was posted in History of Ideas, Methodology, Philosophy, Listener, Literature and Culture on by .

The Merchant of Venice is About the Meaning of Value as Well as Justice.

Listener: 1 January 2000

Keywords: History of Ideas, Methodology & Philosophy; Literature and Culture;

Just as a successful television series for in one channel will generate an emulation series by a competing one, Elizabethan playwrights would take up another’s theme. Thus Christopher Marlowe’s popular The Jew of Malta elicited Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. But the master transcended Marlowe, as a barbaric tale becomes a meditation on the meaning of economic and social value. The reflection appears in all sorts of places: the lead casket, Bassino’s choice which gives him Portia’s hand, requires a commitment of a considerable investment: “who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath,” (not to mention Shylock’s ducats and Antonio’s bond). Their courting includes playful allusions to commerce (Bassino courts “by note”, a bill of exchange), as do other dialogues. The contrast in the trial scene between law and mercy might usefully be explored by those into the new subject of the relationship between economics and law. In the title role, Antonio the merchant, is contrasted with Shylock, the money-lender. Antonio makes his income from advances for risky merchant trading voyages where he gains a share of the profits or loses the advance. Shylock’s income derives from interest on loans.