Marilyn Waring: A Legacy of Political Defiance and Feminist Economics
Marilyn Waring is a distinguished figure whose career spans the highest levels of New Zealand politics, groundbreaking academic research, and international development. From becoming the youngest Member of Parliament in her time to challenging the global definition of economic progress, Waring has consistently advocated for the visibility of women and the environment in systems that traditionally ignore them.
Key Facts
- Political Entry: Elected to Parliament in 1975 at age 23, making her the youngest MP at the time.
- Economic Impact: Authored If Women Counted, a seminal work that influenced the United Nations to redefine Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
- Political Defiance: Triggered a 1984 snap election by declaring her independence on nuclear-free and disarmament issues.
- Academic Focus: Professor of Public Policy specializing in feminist economics, human rights, and gender analysis.
- Global Influence: Led major gender and governance initiatives for the UNDP and the Commonwealth Secretariat.
Political Career and Parliamentary Impact
Waring's entry into politics was marked by a commitment to social reform. While a student at Victoria University, she joined the National Party to support MP Venn Young's bill for homosexual law reform. Her rise was rapid; in 1975, during International Women's Year, the National Party sought to address its lack of female representation. At age 22, Waring was selected for the safe seat of Raglan, supported by former Prime Minister Keith Holyoake.
During her tenure, Waring served in several critical roles, including Chair of the Public Expenditure Committee—a significant appointment for a junior MP. She also served as the New Zealand Observer at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women and chaired the New Zealand Delegation to the OECD Conference on the Role of Women in the Economy in 1978.
Conflict and the 1984 Snap Election
Despite her achievements, Waring's relationship with Prime Minister Robert Muldoon was often volatile. While they shared some views on the welfare state, they clashed on other fronts. The tension peaked on June 14, 1984, when Waring informed the leadership that she would vote independently on rape, disarmament, and nuclear issues.
Because the government held only a one-seat majority, this move threatened national security policy. In response, Muldoon called a snap election for July 14, 1984. The resulting election was a disaster for the National Party, leading to the enactment of nuclear-free New Zealand legislation by the incoming Labour government.
Academic Contributions and Feminist Economics
After leaving politics in 1984, Waring transitioned to academia, focusing on the intersection of economics, gender, and human rights. She earned a D.Phil. in politics from the University of Waikato in 1989, focusing on the United Nations System of National Accounts.
The Critique of GDP
In 1988, Waring published If Women Counted (also known as Counting for Nothing). In this work, she criticized the use of Gross Domestic Product (GDP)—the standard measure of a country's economic output—as a surrogate for progress. She argued that GDP fails to value unpaid care work traditionally performed by women and ignores the degradation of the natural environment.
Her research had a profound global impact, persuading the United Nations to redefine GDP and inspiring countries like New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Scotland, and South Korea to improve data collection regarding unpaid work. This work is widely considered the founding document of the discipline of feminist economics.
Teaching and Public Policy
Waring later became a Professor of Public Policy at the Institute for Public Policy (IPP) at AUT. Her research continues to explore governance, political economy, and human rights. She has supervised numerous notable students and contributed to international intellectual discourse on global human rights.
International Aid and Advocacy
Beyond the classroom and parliament, Waring has applied her expertise to international development. She has led the Gender and Governance team for the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands and managed the UNDP's largest project in the Asia Pacific for the Gender and Economic Policy Management Initiative. Additionally, she has served as a technical expert on poverty and gender for AUSAid and the UNDP.
Summary of Political Terms
| Years | Term | Electorate | Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 – 1978 | 38th | Raglan | National |
| 1978 – 1981 | 39th | Waipa | National |
| 1981 – 1984 | 40th | Waipa | National |
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Marilyn Waring influence the United Nations?
Through her book If Women Counted, Waring demonstrated how national accounting systems make unpaid women's work invisible. This research persuaded the United Nations to redefine Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to better reflect economic reality.
Why did Marilyn Waring leave the National Party?
Waring disagreed with the party's policy on a nuclear-free New Zealand. In 1984, she announced she would vote independently on nuclear and disarmament issues, which ultimately provoked Prime Minister Robert Muldoon to call a snap election.
What is feminist economics?
Feminist economics is a discipline, helped be founded by Waring, that analyzes how economic systems often ignore the contributions of women and the environment, advocating for new ways to value care work and ecological sustainability.
What was Waring's role in the 1984 snap election?
By declaring her independence on key security and social issues, Waring threatened the National Party's slim one-seat majority. This forced Robert Muldoon to call an early election to resolve the instability, which resulted in a National Party defeat.
How did the political establishment react to Waring's sexual orientation in the 1970s?
When the New Zealand Truth tabloid outed her as a lesbian in 1978, Prime Minister Robert Muldoon and her electorate committee supported her, treating it as a private matter and advising her to remain silent to minimize publicity.