Pākehā Men Owe More

Through the commodification of labour inherent to our capitalist mode of interactions, New Zealand society at large, continues to uphold historic prejudices and injustices towards specific groups of people.

One way this is immediately evident is in the pay-gaps present between different demographics. Statistically, Pākehā men earn more than other demographics.

On Average*:

Women earn 9.2% less than men

(Pākehā women 10.2% < Pākehā men)

Māori earn 12% less than Pākehā

(Māori women 19.2% < Pākehā men)

Pacific peoples earn 15.3% less than Pākehā

(Pacific women 19.2% < Pākehā men)

Asian peoples earn 6.8% less than Pākehā

(Asian women 14.8% < Pākehā men)

*these statistics take a broad view and do not take into account gender-diverse or transgender demographics.

Capitalism, which has been designed and implemented by Pākehā men, is upheld through a myth of meritocracy (you will be rewarded for being good at stuff), but it is through capitalism's own obsession with metrics, that we can see another story.

Though there are a wide range of external factors which may worsen or lessen the injustices of pay-gaps, such examples give us an idea of the historically entrenched discrimination present in modern-day New Zealand.

In trying to create a more just mode of interactions, we must first not only acknowledge the injustices around us, but actively work to resist them. Without doing so, we can only perpetuate the past.

Reference: Pay Gaps - an $18 billion dollar a year issue, Motu Economic and Public Policy Research.