A new book – Freedom from our Social Prisons - is being suppressed by New Zealand’s Establishment

A new book – Freedom from our Social Prisons - is being suppressed by New Zealand’s Establishment severely limiting the hope offered the marginalised.

Anthony Ravlich
Chairperson of the Human Rights Council Inc.
10D / 15 City Rd., Auckland City.
Ph: (09) 302 2761.

The book - Freedom from our Social Prisons: the Rise of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - can be obtained at the library by interloan or you can google Lexington Books, enter the title, and order. It is hardcover (approximately $NZ120) but in about eight months time it could be less than half the price as a soft cover.

My book just released in New Zealand and which gives hope to the poor and marginalized is being suppressed by the establishment and relegated to the fringes of society. This also denies a number of individuals within the elite from taking a fresh human rights approach which is inclusive, rather than the ‘them versus us’ approach of neo liberalism. It would permit intellectuals to reach their full potential rather than being limited by the ‘neo liberal square’. The core minimum obligations would also enable those at the bottom of the social structure to better access their civil and political rights (liberal principles). While these obligations may increase costs to the middle class, professional sector it would ensure that their liberal principles were universal rather than having human rights as one rule for the rich and powerful and another for those outside the elite. The shutting out of the book by the establishment shows that freedom of speech does not extend to a voice for the poor as I have been forced to live in poverty for about twenty years often mixing with the underclass. The establishment is concerned with limiting any hope to the marginalized. This book is being sold world-wide so its contents is only being hidden from New Zealanders. Professor William Felice, of Ekerd College, America, and an international expert in the field (his books include Taking Suffering Seriously and The Global New Deal – Economic and Social Human Rights In World Politics) provides a very positive endorsement on the back cover of the book. He states: “This informed study will be of great use to all concerned with social justice”. Also on reading a broad outline of the book, released by a major publisher in America, Rowman and Littlefield Ltd, Noam Chomsky described it as ‘most interesting’, Yash Ghai, internationally recognized human rights expert and who spoke at a recent Commonwealth Conference said: “Congratulations. Very valuable”. Also the editor of the Nordic Human Rights Journal, described it as ‘highly interesting’ and wants to do a review of the book. In addition Ellie Palmer, Department of Law, Human Rights Centre, University of Essex stated: “This is a good idea. It takes a long time for relevance of books to filter through. I've ordered it. I like your thesis very much”.

The book, which involved extensive research, demonstrates that a more civilized version of neo liberalism can be adopted by liberal democracies such as New Zealand. As a first step to a comprehensive human rights vision, which includes both traditional civil liberties and democracy and also economic, social and cultural rights with the latter presently excluded from human rights law, it is considered necessary to address the most serious violations by ensuring core minimum obligations (involving both sets of rights) for all. These core minimum obligations include ensuring a voice in the mainstream for the poor and marginalized, ensuring no one falls below the poverty line as well as the right to human rights education and the right to development. These rights will empower the most disadvantaged to hold the elite to account and peacefully seek justice making use of the democratic process and supporting those who wish to a follow their dreams, including their holistic development. It is argued that if those with talents and abilities are encouraged and given more opportunities, rather than being forced to leave New Zealand, they will eventually employ the underclass with the setting up of small businesses and manufacturing plants.

Below is the email (with slight alterations) sent to a number of politicians and forwarded to the media – television, newspapers and radio:

‘……we are born for Justice, and that right is based not upon men’s opinions, but upon Nature’. Cicero, The Laws (Book I).

The above book has now been released in New Zealand and overseas. It maintains that the State can choose a more civilized version of neo liberalism. It is very rare for a person, like myself, who has been kept in poverty for so many years to write such a book. The last time I emailed nearly all MPs about my forthcoming book, apart from a few secretaries, I received only two responses – a short sentence from a Green MP and a mailed letter from the office of John Keys thanking me for the information. Have you become so alienated from your universal liberal belief system – the right to free speech – that you no longer acknowledge any differing opinions outside the ‘left/right wing neo liberal square’. I am prepared to debate human rights on national TV (or on any Marae) with anyone in New Zealand. Unfortunately I have just learnt that a rare, although only occasional, avenue open to the poor in the mainstream – a show on Triangle TV – has been finished, being ‘user pays’ priced out of the market. Even to have a stall at Auckland University costs about $1, 500 and more. Despite my four university degrees once they had read my more recent articles none of the universities in New Zealand would accept me for a PhD (even though two years previously both AUT and Massey University were prepared to). When you lose all principles you are ruled by ‘nothing’ – perhaps I could recommend a children’s movie, the Never Ending Story, about a boy reading a book about a kingdom, with its beautiful princess, being slowly taken over by the ‘Great Nothing’ – suddenly he no longer remains an observer and becomes involved in the story itself to save the kingdom and the princess from the ‘Great Nothing’. When you are ruled by nothing nobody, not even you, matters simply because you become so alienated from your own self . Universal beliefs require a sufficient mind/ heart balance or such principles require sufficient experience. When you lose your principles e.g. such as having double standards, as global pressures mount you eventually lose the will to continue. Money and power will not sustain you. H.G. Wells in describing the fall of the Roman Empire stated: “All empires, all states, all organizations of human society are, in the ultimate, things of understanding and will. There remained no will for the Roman Empire in the world and so it came to an end”.

My book is in line with what I consider to be the proper interpretation of human rights which places an emphasis on those suffering the most serious violations. The latter includes the underclass, who are voiceless and powerless, and those with talents and abilities who are often neglected, struggling, sometimes resulting in serious health problems, at the bottom end of society or escaping the ‘tall poppy syndrome’ in New Zealand in order to reach their full potential overseas. It is the latter talent pool, if given more encouragement and opportunities, who are likely to eventually employ the underclass. While welfare benefits are necessary and, in fact, should be increased where they fall below the poverty line, there is more dignity in helping oneself rather than being kept in a state of complete dependence as is presently the case.

The book is critical of New Zealand’s human rights record although this is usually in the context of liberal democracies in general. It is argued that given the present global changes such as regionalization e.g. the proposed East Asian Regional Bloc, the food price crises around the world, and the shift in global opinion against the leading proponents of neo liberalism (the US and the UK), the large gap between rich and poor within and between countries, it would be a mistake to ‘put all our eggs in the corporations, globalization basket’. It is simply a matter of globalization with social responsibility ensuring, at the very least, core minimum obligations are met. Hence there is a need to also encourage small economic and social enterprises . The right to development, presently being discussed at the United Nations, should be under both civil and political rights and economic, social and cultural rights to maximize ideas to the benefit of all and not restricted to the ‘neo liberal square’ which favors the elite. An holistic approach to development is seriously undermined by the severe marginalization of very spiritual individuals in both Pakeha and, I believe, Maori society leaving our leadership virtually completely spiritually bankrupt – in the present situation leadership such as Kirk, Savage, Fraser etc. is very unlikely to be seen. New Zealand has become consumed with image rather than substance and mediocre leadership is the result. Post Second World War New Zealand demonstrated a kinder form of liberalism indicating that neo liberalism is your choice and my book shows how a more civilized approach can be adopted even within the framework of neo liberalism although, in my opinion, the later would not last long if people were educated in human rights and the democratic process was not controlled by a liberal oligarchy. To New Zealand’s credit it has frequently promoted economic, social and cultural rights at the international level but has kept New Zealanders ignorant of them (simply ask Rosslyn Noonan, the Chief Human Rights Commissioner, who in this past has been supportive of my work) i.e. I was informed by the commission that although Section 5(a) of the Human Rights Act 1993 required the commission to also educate New Zealanders in economic, social and cultural rights successive governments have refused to fund it.

I believe that the truth as defined by human rights, including the right to development, will set people free from oppression and ensure justice for all - and save the world from the ‘Great Nothing’.