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New Zealand is a world beater
Posted by m2urray • 6/02/09 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: beat, nation, new, peaceful, world, zealand
Why peaceful NZ leads the world
4:00AM Wednesday Jun 03, 2009
By Isaac Davison
New Zealand is a world beater. Photo / Alan GibsonNew Zealand has been judged the most peaceful nation in the world.
An Australian thinktank recognised our stable political situation, relatively low rate of violence and decrease in military spending.
The Institute for Economics and Peace list was created after the start of the global recession, finding the financial meltdown was dragging the world toward political instability and conflict.
It laid out its key findings ahead of the publication of its annual Global Peace Index, a report prepared with the Economist Intelligence Unit.
The report, which surveyed 144 countries, says New Zealand's rise to first is partly explained by the election of a National-Act coalition last year.
"The centre-right National Party has a strong popular mandate and a robust parliamentary majority by New Zealand's standards, putting the new Prime Minister, John Key, in a good position to push through his agenda."
It also says New Zealand received the best possible scores for the likelihood of violent demonstrations, the homicide rate and the level of respect for human rights.
The rise to first position is also related to the fall of Iceland from the top spot last year, which reflected the increase in violence following the banking collapse that engulfed its economy in September.
Professor Kevin Clements from the University of Otago, who was on the panel of experts for the index, told the Herald: "The index is a pretty good reflection of countries people want to live in, because on bicultural issues and a variety of factors we are scoring well.
"If you look at the top 20, they are all small nations based on strong welfare principles, all with good and relatively uncorrupt governance."
Professor Clements, who is director of the National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, said the National Government faced a challenge in preserving New Zealand's top ranking.
"The question is whether the current Government will be as committed as the last ... a role for New Zealand as a conflict-resolving nation. I will be interested to see if we rank as high, but I can't imagine we'll slip far."
He said the greatest threat to New Zealand's peacefulness would be a more severe economic downturn or an increased sense of grievance toward Treaty of Waitangi issues.
Top 10 most peaceful nations
1. New Zealand
2. Denmark
2. Norway
4. Iceland
5. Austria
6. Sweden
7. Japan
8. Canada
9. Finland
9. Slovenia
Ten least peaceful
1. Iraq
2. Afghanistan
3. Somalia
4. Israel
5. Sudan
6. Democratic Republic of the Congo
7. Chad
8. Pakistan
9. Russia
10. Zimbabwe
Click here for the full list.
- ADDITIONAL REPORTING: NZPA
Copyright ©2009, APN Holdings NZ Limited
User Comments
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This seems pretty random... I'd like to know how they worked this out.
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Hey don't judge the peacmakers hater!
But really I wouldn't agree with it being that peaceful. We're a drug fueled nation and we put the same percentage of criminals in prison each year as the U.S does. And most of them get out within 7 months. The rest just get a slap on the wrist and told not to do whatever they did again. -
Don't get me wrong...I'd love to move to New Zealand actually, it's just that this study seems really random! How do you compare future peacefulness?
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I don't get it either, I never understand where these types of statistics come from, do they come from the general census thats done every (X) amount of years? or do they go around town asking people in a survey. And If so why do I never get asked to partake in these surveys.
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That bugs me too!
"97% of people asked said..."
Why didn't you ask me?! Why do I never get asked?! Why does no one I know ever get asked?! I don't think that the people you asked are like me... -
Unless of course they do the survey via telemarketing. I can understand them not having a chance in that case.
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in which case, the people they are asking are the kinds of people who will talk to telemarketers...which alarms me slightly...
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Yes, because its more than likely that the statistics will be based on the opinions of lonely old Nanas and Grandads who're just happy that someone is talking to them
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Yes, I agree with everyone, I never get asked my opinion on anything by research or survey people and since we all have our different views on most things I can imagine, unless they asked every elligible person in the country, any survey results would be skewered and need to be taken with a grain of salt.
p.s. Don't you just loathe those telemarketers, especially the computer automated dial up ones!!
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