Trading our way : developments in New Zealand's trade policy 1930s to 1980s : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in History, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

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dc.contributor.authorNeill, Carol May
dc.date.accessioned2010-11-09T22:15:51Z
dc.date.availableNO_RESTRICTIONen_US
dc.date.available2010-11-09T22:15:51Z
dc.date.issued2010
dc.description.abstractThis thesis examines developments in New Zealand trade policy from the 1930s to late 1980s. Over this period New Zealand’s trade activities changed from being very narrow in scope and highly controlled, to being greatly diversified and liberalised. This thesis investigates successive New Zealand governments’ ideas about how external trade should be developed over that period, and why they instigated substantial changes in the nature of trade policy. The research identifies the dominant ideas, and influences, that shaped those changes. Because trade has been so central to the New Zealand economy, this thesis holds that ideas about trade development have been intrinsically linked to more general economic, political and social objectives for the country. This research has been built on an understanding that trade policy over this time had many dimensions that were located in both the domestic and foreign policy realms. In domestic terms, trade policy was focused on achieving economic and industrial development objectives. From these perspectives, trade policy was developed in ways that sought to ensure security and opportunity for the domestic economy and for New Zealand society. The substantial changes from regulated trade to liberal trading within the domestic context can be viewed in relation to the story of import licensing’s existence. The growth of diversity of goods traded can be viewed in terms of the changes in domestic production priorities. In the realm of foreign policy, diplomatic pursuits focused on pursuing New Zealand’s national interest through trade development. Trade policy was focused on achieving access for markets through political means, and advancing New Zealand’s interests in the economic and political international arenas. From this perspective, trade policy informed diplomatic strategies that sought to enhance New Zealand’s ‘place in the world’. The research highlights the challenges for New Zealand of pursuing external trade to meet its own objectives while operating within economic and political contexts over which it had little influence. Most ideas and policy decisions made over the period can be viewed as stemming from some form of external influence. Trade policy tended to develop in response to external changes rather than through independent initiative.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10179/1835
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherMassey Universityen_US
dc.rightsThe Authoren_US
dc.subjectNew Zealand economyen_US
dc.subjectTrade developmenten_US
dc.subject.otherFields of Research::430000 History and Archaeology::430100 Historical Studies::430101 History: New Zealanden_US
dc.titleTrading our way : developments in New Zealand's trade policy 1930s to 1980s : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in History, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealanden_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
massey.contributor.authorNeill, Carol May
thesis.degree.disciplineHistoryen_US
thesis.degree.grantorMassey Universityen_US
thesis.degree.levelDoctoralen_US
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)en_US
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