Privatisation, governance and identity: the United Kingdom and New Zealand compared

Privatisation is a more adventitious process than often understood. This paper identifies distinctive governmental practices in the UK and New Zealand. In the UK privatisation was associated with a political campaign for a 'shareholding democracy', whereas in New Zealand privatisation was conducted in the name of the taxpayer. The UK campaign to popularise shareholding connects with the reconstruction of the field of social security around personal finance and private insurance. In New Zealand privatisation was linked to attempts to promote national well-being through economic internationalisation. These differences suggest the need for a more variegated understanding of neoliberalism.