New Zealands foreign policy at the crossroads between the West and Asia

In September 1939, the Prime Minister of New Zealand expressed loyalty to Britain. Twenty-four years later, this declaration seems like a relic of the past. While changes in foreign policy may not be as significant as expected, the attachment to the Commonwealth, especially to Britain, remains dominant.

The government’s shift to a Labour government in 1935 introduced a new element of collective security and international institutions to New Zealand’s policy. This included taking different positions from Britain and other Commonwealth members on moral issues or the authority of global institutions. For example, during Mussolini’s recognition of a fait accompli.

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