Some Social and Cultural Influences on Economic Growth: The Case of the Maori

Abstract

Recent interest in promoting the economic development of the so-called “underdeveloped” areas has stimulated concern with the problem of the effects of social anil cultural institutions on economic growth. A major difficulty in the study of this problem is the scarcity of cases of marked economic development in non-Western cultural milieus, Japan being the major striking exception. Under these circumstances it may be of some interest to examine cases of less striking change on a smaller scale, not only for what can be learned about each case, but also for the assistance they may give in interpreting the more numerous cases of little or no economic growth.

“Ko te hau tēnā o tō taonga…”: The words of Ranapiri on the spirit of gift exchange and economy

“…Ultimately, Ranapiri is articulating a notion of economy described elsewhere as an economy of affection, or an economy of mana, which exists to maintain the four well-beings of Māori and the Pacific-spirituality, environment, kinship and economy. Elsewhere (Hēnare 2011;Hēnare et al 2017; see also Merrill 1954) I have proposed that these well-beings establish four types of capital of economic significance-spiritual capital, ecological and environmental capital, kinship as human capital and economic capital. In combination they instantiate levels of reciprocity: of the spiritual with humanity; of humanity in ecological systems; of humans with other humans; and economies embedded in the spiritual, ecological and human societies in which they are located (Hēnare 2001, 2003: Roberts et al 2004.…”

Maori economic development - Glimpses from statistical sources

“…There is also widespread suggestion that some of these investments were made less out of profit and loss calculations than as a way of acquiring mana, particularly in the earlier part of the period when many of these investments were undertaken on a tribal rather than individual basis. (For a review of this material, see Firth (1959, Chapter 12: The Exchange of Gifts), Merrill (1954), and the sources referred to by Hargreaves (1960Hargreaves ( , 1962Hargreaves ( , 1963. More generally, it was commonly argued that Māori did not save adequately -that is to say, in accordance with European ideals -given the patterns of income uncertainty in a capitalist economy.…”

Indigenous investments: Are they different? Lessons from Iwi

“…From the literature, we know that the motivating factors for Indigenous self-employment include, but are not limited to, the profit motive that tends to dominate western corporates (Haar and Delaney, 2009). In addition to financial performance, Indigenous values informed by tikanga and mātauranga Māori are also important (Merrill, 1954; Mrabure, 2019; Perry et al, 2003; Reihana et al, 2007; Te Aho, 2005; Scrimgeour and Iremonger, 2011). Tikanga is defined as Māori customs, values, and practices that have developed, and can be thought of as the Māori way of doing things.…”