Category Archives: Russia

Russian economic history, including a folk song lens

Posted on February 3, 2024 by Peter Winsley

The new coalition government in New Zealand gives some hope that democracy, universalism, and Enlightenment values can win out over identity politics and tribalism. This frees up time to explore other issues, such as why some inherently wealthy countries underperform … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, History, Politics, Russia, Ukraine | 1 Comment

The great soul of the Russian people will always outlive those who seek to destroy it

Posted on October 29, 2023 by Peter Winsley

The Russian symbolist poet Osip Mandelstam once said that Russia is the only country that takes poetry seriously – it gets people killed.  In Stalin’s time some Russian poets were victimised and silenced, some were protected.  Stalin admired Pasternak’s translations … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural issues, History, Politics, Russia | 2 Comments

How to defend New Zealand without killing anyone (if possible)

Posted on October 5, 2023 by Peter Winsley

War is older than all human cultures.  It pervades human history in all regions and epochs.  When the first oral histories were composed war was among the most pervasive themes.  Yet war is horrible.  It is also extremely expensive both … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, History, Politics, Russia, Science and innovation, Ukraine | 3 Comments

Resolving arguments about opening meetings with karakia: A modest proposal

Posted on August 16, 2023 by Peter Winsley

Debate continues on whether meetings should open with a karakia, and if so what rules might apply.  Some oppose their purported religious content (karakia can be secular).  Some argue karakia must always be translated into English.  Others value Te Reo … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural issues, Essays on Management, Maori, Russia, Shakespeare, Ukraine | 3 Comments

Ukrainian war: response to Don Brash

Posted on July 30, 2023 by Peter Winsley

Dr Don Brash’s 26 July post  I love America but…gets most things right, except on the Ukrainian war. Dr Brash contends that the US and NATO provoked Putin’s invasion by violating “red lines” that NATO should not reach Russian borders, … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural issues, History, Russia, Ukraine | 10 Comments

How do we prevent an “accident” at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant?

Posted on June 9, 2023 by Peter Winsley

In our 20 May post we argued there was a low risk of nuclear weapon use in Ukraine, however we noted that “what is more likely than a Russian nuclear strike is engineering an “accident” at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power … Continue reading →

Posted in Russia, Ukraine | Leave a comment

Russia has two ways out of the Ukraine war that avoids economic ruination.  Neither or them involve nuclear weapons

Posted on May 20, 2023 by Peter Winsley

Vladimir Putin’s Russia cannot afford to lose its war with Ukraine because of the economic loss and political upheaval this would cause.  Nor can it afford to win this war because repairing the damage and dealing with the aftermath would … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural issues, Economics, History, Russia, Uncategorized | 7 Comments

New Zealand’s democracy faces its greatest challenge

Posted on October 28, 2022 by Peter Winsley

Racialisation and tribalisation, less government openness and more centralization are endangering New Zealand’s status as a western democracy. “The West” is not a geographic place nor a particular ethnicity, race or religion.  Singapore, Japan and South Korea are as much … Continue reading →

Posted in Constitutional and Treaty of Waitangi issues, Cultural issues, Learning, education and pedagogy, Maori, Politics, Russia, Ukraine | 4 Comments

Te Tiriti, racialism, tribalism and democracy in New Zealand

Posted on September 1, 2022 by Peter Winsley

No country is without its problems, and New Zealand’s colonial history saw conflict and injustice, land alienation and language loss.  However, European settlement brought the rule of law, and the end of slavery, cannibalism, and intertribal wars.  It brought technological … Continue reading →

Posted in Constitutional and Treaty of Waitangi issues, Cultural issues, Economics, History, Learning, education and pedagogy, Maori, Politics, Russia, Science and innovation, Ukraine | Leave a comment

The Ukraine war, the PRC’s rise, and how New Zealand’s defence and security policies may need to change

Posted on July 23, 2022 by Peter Winsley

The Cold War’s end and the rise of globalisation meant New Zealand rapidly adapted to a more benign world and spent little on defence.  Our navy and air force are now largely for logistical support and surveillance, and we have … Continue reading →

Posted in Constitutional and Treaty of Waitangi issues, Economics, Maori, Politics, Russia, Science and innovation | 4 Comments