The "ac" code is for "adequacy-confidence"--a
data
quality measure ranging from 0 (low) to 9
(high)
Institutionalization
Variables, 1.01-1.06
1.01 year of origin and 1.02 name
changes
1916, AC9
0, AC9
The New Zealand Labour Party was
founded in 1916 at a joint conference attended by delegates from
the United Federation of Labour, the Social Democratic Party, and
Labour Representation Committees, plus labour- backed members of
parliament. This meeting followed an earlier Unity Conference in
1913 which established the United Federation of Labour and the
Social Democratic Party, which had resulted from a merger of the
Socialist Party and the (non-socialist) United Labour Party. The
1913 alliance of militant and moderate factions within the labour
movement did not last, and the 1916 meeting reforged the union,
with the militants grudgingly accepting parliamentary
participation as the primary strategy. There is evidence that the
old Social Democrats had a majority on the first Executive
Committee, but enough activists from the other organizations seem
to have been involved in the new organization to consider it as
more than just a continuation of the Social Democratic Party under
a new name. The party's name did not change since its
inception.
1.03 organizational
discontinuity
1, AC6
Lee was expelled from the party
in 1940, and after that point he formed the short-lived Democratic
Labour Party, which attracted several of Lee's followers away from
the Labour Party. Since the split is mentioned by only a couple of
authors, and since we have no record of other discontinuities in
organizations, the adequacy-confidence code of 6 seems
appropriate.
1.04 leadership
competition
11, AC8
The Labour Party featured three
positions which might be considered the national leadership
positions--the President, the National Secretary, and the leader
of the parliamentary party. The leader of the parliamentary party
is usually considered the effective leader of the party,
especially when it is in power. This post changed hands in 1950,
when Walter Nash was elected parliamentary leader following the
death of Peter Frasure, former leader and former prime minister.
Nash served as leader of the opposition for all but 1957-60, when
he was prime minister. The leader of the Labour Party is chosen by
the parliamentary delegation, always less than 100 in
number.
1.05 legislative
instability
Instability is .08,
AC8
The Labour Party held its lowest
legislative representation from 1951-53 with 38 percent of the
seats, and its highest representation from 1957-59 with 51 percent
of the seats.
1.06 electoral
instability
Instability is .04, AC9
Legislative elections were held in 1951, 1954, 1957, and 1960. The
Labour Party's proportion of votes won ranged between 43 percent
in 1960 and 48 percent in 1957.
Governmental Status Variables,
2.01-2.07
2.01 government
discrimination
1 for 1950-62, AC7
At least four sources indicate
that the electoral system discriminates against all third parties
in the same manner. However, the question of discrimination arises
with regard to the free and equal access of all parties to the
mass media. Hence an AC of 7.
2.02 governmental leadership
0 out of 7 for 1950-56,
AC9
3 out of 6 for 1957-62,
AC9
Parliamentary elections are held
every 3 years. The Labour Party won only one election during our
time period, that in 1957. No sources disagree with
that.
2.03cabinet participation
0 out of 7 for 1950-56,
AC9
3 out of 6 for 1957-62,
AC9
The party participated in the
cabinet only during its years of governmental
leadership.
2.04 national
participation
6, AC6
There are no explicit references
to the geographical orientation of the Labour Party, but many
sources suggest that support is rather uniform
nationally.
2.05 legislative
strength
Strength is .41 for 1950-56, AC7
and .46 for 1957-62, AC9
The Labour Party held its lowest
legislative representation from 1951-53 with 38 percent of the
seats, and its highest representation from 1957-59 with 51 percent
of the seats.
2.06 electoral
strength
Strength is .45 for 1950-56, AC9
and .45 for 1957-62, AC8
Legislative elections were held
in 1951, 1954, 1957, and 1960. The Labour Party's proportion of
votes won ranged between 43 percent in 1960 and 48 percent in
1957.
2.07 outside origin
8, AC9
Although some labour-backed members of parliament were
instrumental in forming the New Zealand Labour Party, it is clear
that the impetus for the party came from labour organizations
outside of parliament.
Issue Orientation Variables, 5.01-5.15
5.01 ownership of means of
production
1, AC5
The Labour Party favors
government regulation of the means of production, but does not
favor ownership as such. The party platform in 1951 and again in
1955 expressed a strong belief in private enterprise but said that
it requires much government control.
5.02 government role in economic
planning
3, AC9
The Labour Party favors an active
government role in the development of the economy, as shown by
controls over businesses, price controls where necessary, and the
policy of lower interest rates and returning the bank profits to
the state.
5.03 redistribution of
wealth
1, AC5
The Labour Party wants to ensure
the just distribution of the production and services of New
Zealand. It also wants to raise family allowances and have tax
rebates for wage and salary earners. It believes in adherence to
the principles of cooperation and socialism.
5.04 social welfare
5, AC8
The Labour Party does advocate
universally available social welfare through a compulsory program
of public assistance. It provides free medical services, increased
child allowances, free textbooks, and social security
increases.
5.05 secularization of society
-3, AC5
The Labour Party advocates giving
state aid to the roman catholic church schools. The party also
shows a benevolent attitude toward religion, for it draws a lot of
support from Catholics. This is of interest because studies have
shown a definite correlation between religion and voting behavior
in New Zealand.
5.06 support of the
military
1, AC3
Nothing in the literature
described the Labour Party as against support of the armed forces
or any proposal for reductions in military expenditures. However,
there was also no stress put on the armed forces in the literature
so it was inferred that the code would be 1.
5.07 alignment with east-west
blocs
-5, AC6
Since the cold war, the Labour
Party has been very unfriendly to the communist countries and did
not recognize red China when in control of the government.
Labour's policies are closely aligned with those of Britain, and
the country has accepted economic aid from the U.S.
5.08 anti-colonialism
1, AC5
The party strongly supports Great
Britain at all times and accepts loans freely from London.
However, there is a movement to reduce foreign influence in the
economy by restoring import controls.
5.09 supranational integration
0, AC5
The Labour Party strongly
supported the Colombo Plan but did not envisage supranational
organizations in the pacific area. But it should also be noted
that Labour supported the United Nations very
strongly.
5.10 national
integration
1, AC5
Labour believes in a
centralization of authority and advocates dominance of national
authority structures and symbols. Yet, they recognize other groups
through legislation, as in legislation for the farm
group.
5.11 electoral
participation
5, AC9
There was universal manhood
suffrage in 1879, and women got the vote in 1893. Maoris got
universal manhood suffrage even earlier, in 1867. The Labour Party
advocates maintaining this.
5.12 protection of civil
rights
4, AC5
The Labour Party has championed
the interests of the ethnic minority maoris, who have repaid the
party through strong support in elections, with the four maori
seats considered safe labour seats. However, Labour has not been
so favorable toward the immigration of asiatics to New
Zealand.
5.13 interference with civil
liberties
AC1
No information.
5.14 / 5.15 US--Soviet experts
left-right ratings
U.S. says, 3, non-communist
left.
Soviets say, 3, social reform party, democratic
socialism.
Goal Orientation Variables, 6.01-6.55
6.00 open competition in
the electoral process
4, AC9
In all the material indexed for
this variable, it was quite clear that the Labour Party relies
exclusively on open competition in the electoral process to gain
seats in the government.
6.10 restricting party
competition
0, AC9
There was a lot of material
indexed for this variable and there was no mention of the Labour
Party ever attempting to restrict party competition. Open
competition is the accepted method of gaining governmental
power.
6.20 subverting the political
system
0, AC9
In the material indexed for this
variable there was no mention of the Labour Party ever having
attempted to subvert the electoral process.
6.30 propagandizing ideas and
program
6.31--1, AC5. The Labour Party
has a newspaper and thus does operate mass communication
media.
6.32--0, AC5. Labour has made
virtually no effort to develop weekend schools, or the equivalent
of party schools.
6.33--2, AC9. The party is very
active in passing resolutions and platforms.
6.34--2, AC9. The party also
published numerous position papers.
6.50 providing for welfare of
party members
6.51, 6.52--0, AC9, and 6.54,
6.55--0, AC5. None of these services appear to be performed by the
Labour Party.
6.53--2, AC5. One of the main tasks of the party president was to
assist people in favors and advice. This seems to have been a
common practice.
Autonomy Variables, 7.01-7.05
7.01 sources of
funds
4 (sectors 01, 04),
AC7
Labor unions are the most
reliable source of income. Membership dues are also a source.
Labour Party also enjoys the support of some business
groups.
7.02 source of
members
2 (sector 01), AC7
Trade unions supply the indirect
members of the party. One can also become a member through direct
application to a branch of the party organization. Eighty per cent
of the members are indirect.
7.03 sources of
leaders
4 (sectors 01, 03),
AC4
Frasure had been a unionist, but
his successor Nash had not. Moreover, only about 1/4 of the MPs
were working class. Teachers and other professionals also became
well represented.
7.04 relations with domestic
parties
7, AC9
Usually the opposition party in a
two party system during our period, Labour had no encumbering
relationships with other parties.
7.05 relations with foreign
organizations
3, AC6
The party became a member of the Socialist International in 1952
and retained its membership throughout our time
period.
Organizational Complexity Variables,
8.01-8.07
8.01 structural
articulation
10, AC7
Apart from the annual conference,
the central organs are the National Executive, the parliamentary
party organization, and a Central Executive made up of a
president, vice-president, secretary-treasurer and five members
elected by the conference. The rest of the Central Executive is
elected by the geographical localities. Central Executive has four
committees-- finance, organization, publicity, and
administration.
8.02 intensiveness of
organization
4, AC7
The Labour Party's branches were
all in urban areas. Branch membership declined in the 1950's.
Trade union affiliates are also at this level of
organization.
8.03 extensiveness of
organization
5, AC7
One can be a Labour Party member
either individually or indirectly through the trade unions. Direct
membership is obtained on the branch level. There are six hundred
of these branches.
8.04 frequency of local
meetings
6, AC8
Branches must meet at least once
a month.
8.05 frequency of national
meetings
6, AC7
The full national executive
council meets four times a year while the central executive meets
monthly.
8.06 maintaining
records
12, AC7
The Labour Party publishes party
propaganda, maintains some sort of archive, and keeps accurate
membership lists.
8.07 pervasiveness of
organization
13, AC7
Heavy union affiliation and heavy maori affiliation.
Organizational Power Variables, 9.01-9.08
9.01 nationalization of
structure
4, AC5
Most power rests in the
parliamentary party and not in the extra parliamentary structure,
although the annual conference is supposed to have supreme
power.
9.02 selecting the national
leader
4, AC8
Labour has a caucus meeting every
three years to select the party leader. The caucus is a meeting of
the parliamentary members of the party.
9.03 selecting parliamentary
candidates
5, AC5
Nominations for the parliamentary
candidates are public. They have to be signed by six members in
the electorate. Selection is made by a panel of six--three
representatives resident in the electorate appointed by the Labour
Representation Committee and three members appointed by the
National Executive Committee.
9.04 allocating funds
5, AC5
Labour is financed by the trade
unions, both locally and nationally. Branch members also pay a fee
to the national executive.
9.05 formulating
policy
6, AC8
The caucus makes policy
decisions. The caucus is composed of parliamentary party
members.
9.06 controlling
communications
4, AC5
All of the main daily newspapers
are supportive of the National Party.
9.07 administering
discipline
3, AC7
If a backbencher criticizes the
party leaders very much, he weakens his chances of promotion to
the cabinet. Members are allowed to speak against the party line,
but never to vote against it. Dissident members may fail to
receive renomination. The caucus is concerned with party
discipline.
9.08 leadership
concentration
2, AC5
While the National Party believes in the individual leadership
role of the party leader, the Labor Party believes more in
collective leadership with power divided between the spokesmen for
the parliamentary party, the conference, and the executive, with
the parliamentary leader admittedly the most
important.
Coherence Variables, 10.01-10.06
10.01 legislative cohesion
.95, AC7
The party is virtually completely
cohesive as it appears on the floor of the house.
10.02 ideological
factionalism
2, AC5
Finlay and Wilson tried to rally
support for socialism in the fifties and early sixties, but never
received much support from within the party. In 1955, there was a
small group of the parliamentary party members who wanted to
introduce a policy which was variant from that of the national
line--a more friendly approach toward the eastern powers. Besides
these specific examples, there has generally been a high level of
consensus within the party.
10.03 issue
factionalism
2, AC7
In 1955, a small group desired a
more friendly approach towards the east. Between 1949 and 1957,
issues of price controls, employment, and social security
legislation caused some factionalism. There has been some
disagreement over the disciplining of left-wing unions. In
1961-62, the old guard still tended towards a more orthodox
socialism.
10.04 leadership factionalism
0, AC8
The slow turnover in Labour Party
leaders has virtually eliminated leadership
factionalism.
10.05 strategic or tactical
factionalism
1, AC3
There is no specific information
on this variable, but the code is inferred from the general
information on the party.
10.06 party purges
0, AC6
No mass expulsions occurred in the party.
Involvement Variables, 11.01-11.06
11.01 membership
requirements
3, AC7
Members must pay dues. The lowest
form of party organization, the branch, must have at least ten
members who have paid the necessary membership dues.
11.02 membership
participation
1, AC7
Branch activity has been low
since 1950. It has been increasingly difficult to get the members
to participate in party activities.
11.03 material incentives
0, AC8
Reward for service is some
influence over party policy.
11.04 purposive
incentives
1, AC5
A number of the militants are
connected with the trade unions and want legislation which will
favor them, thus they work hard for the party.
11.05 doctrinism
1, AC8
The party's constitution embodies
its doctrines. The allusions to it were not great, but one is
always aware that it exists.
11.06 personalism
0, AC6
One sample mentioned a distrust of the party leaders by the
membership , along with a distrust of the membership by the
leaders. Motivation of militants by personalism probably would not
occur in such an environment.