Study explores Māori views on capitalism

Māori attitudes toward capitalism and business regulation are at the heart of a new study led by Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland researchers.

The research examines influences on economic attitudes using data from the 2020 Māori Identity and Financial Attitudes Study.

Despite previous research often implying a single ‘monolithic’ Indigenous economic perspective, lead author Professor Carla Houkamau (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tahu and Pākehā) says attitudes vary significantly.

Responses from 3,241 people were analysed to assess the way cultural identity, including iwi importance, confidence in cultural knowledge and practices, and employment type impact views on capitalism and government regulation of business.

Iwi importance was assessed by asking participants: ‘How important is/are your iwi to how you see yourself?’ Participants then ranked importance from one (not important) to seven (very important). 

Opposition to capitalism was measured using the statement, ‘Capitalism has generally had a negative impact on the way that we live’, rated on a scale of one (strongly disagree) to seven (strongly agree).

Employment type emerged as a strong predictor of economic attitudes.

Māori employees have considerably stronger opposition to capitalism and more support for government regulation than solo self-employed workers or business owners with staff.

The researchers say this may reflect the greater autonomy and engagement in running businesses and involvement in the market that can come with self-employment and business ownership.

Māori who rated their iwi as more important to their identity expressed stronger opposition to capitalism and greater support for government regulation.

Higher confidence in cultural knowledge and practices was also associated with more critical perspectives on capitalism.

“Cultural confidence strengthens critical perspectives on capitalist systems, indicating that Māori who deemed their iwi as important to their identity, or who had the resources to appropriately engage with Māori culture, reported greater opposition to capitalism than Māori who did not,” says Professor Houkamau.

The study also found:

• Women had greater opposition to capitalism and stronger support for government regulation than men.
• Younger Māori were more likely than older age groups to oppose capitalism and support regulation.
• Lower-income Māori expressed greater opposition to capitalism and stronger support for government regulation than those on higher incomes.
• Political conservatives held more positive attitudes toward capitalism than liberals while feeling less supportive of government regulation.
• Māori with sole Māori ethnic affiliations reported greater opposition to capitalism and support for government regulation than Māori with multiple ethnic affiliations. 

“What stands out is that Māori identity is not a single predictor of economic attitudes. Cultural confidence strengthens critique of capitalism, but those views also vary by income, age, gender, politics, and affiliation,” says Houkamau.

“The findings show Māori opinion is structured, not uniform, and the 2020 data gives us a snapshot into that complexity.”

Houkamau is on the steering group of the research centre Juncture: Dialogues on Inclusive Capitalism, which seeks to determine more inclusive approaches to the way business is done. She says the research exploring Māori perspectives on capitalism is in line with Juncture’s mission to examine broader questions about who the economy serves.

Professor Jason Mika (Tūhoe, Ngāti Awa, Whakatōhea, Ngāti Kahungunu), co-director of the Dame Mira Szászy Centre and one of the study’s authors, says the research aligns with the ‘economy of mana’ framework, which suggests stronger cultural connections may orient individuals toward collective prosperity rather than individual accumulation.

“Our study helps to understand who’s feeling disenchanted or well-served by the way Aotearoa is doing capitalism,” says Mika. “This can help to inform policy on how capitalism can better serve people and the planet.”