Housing Crisis in New Zealand. What does the battle 'Landlord vs. Tenant” means?
An illustrative example is the housing crisis in New Zealand. To genuinely comprehend the roots of the rental shortage and engage in a meaningful political fight against the true adversary, we must go beyond the simplistic narrative of 'tenant vs. landlord'
Society and Conflict.
Society is inherently divided. Our political disposition is grounded in conflict. Conflict opens up the possibility for politics and change; without it, any sort of progress could exist. We find ourselves with unfulfilled needs. Finding a way to satisfy these needs collectively, requires entering into the political field and dealing with the conflict that surrounds those needs. In some cases, it will be a conflict of ideas on how those needs can be covered; in other cases, it will be a conflict against different needs that oppose each other, and in multiple instances, the conflict will appear just while we try to get some acknowledgment or recognition of those needs.
Within the political fields, conflicts are not stagnant entities; rather, they are ever-evolving forces that continuously reshape themselves and the political landscape. As political theorist Chantal Mouffe articulates, conflict constructs political identities. It forges and reshapes the frontiers that define the boundaries between an "us" and a "them”. In a very conscious effort to stop any sort of nationalism, Mouffe emphasizes that these frontiers do not respond to pre-existing empirical entities; instead, they adapt to various social relations and circumstances. In the intricate dance of politics, multiple frontiers emerge, each contributing to the intricate tapestry of societal dynamics.
Housing Crisis Narratives: Moving Beyond the Mainstream Narrative of “Landlords vs. Tenants.”
Entities wielding economic and political power hold the tools to shape and establish the mainstream narratives around the development of conflict battles. These narratives serve a specific purpose, aimed at increasing or, at the very least, maintaining the power of the dominant agents.
After decades of a very strong marketing and technological strategy held by powerful oligarch groups, our social lenses are configured to see only what's closer to us and to solely focus on our individual battles. Our political insight has significantly diminished. With this loss, our epistemological tools to perceive the broader picture and construct a robust 'us,' capable of accurately identifying the 'them,' have weakened. Consequently, we find ourselves investing energy in the wrong political battles, fighting against those who are also suffering the consequences of an extremely unfair system: neoliberalism.
An illustrative example is the housing crisis in New Zealand. To genuinely comprehend the roots of the rental shortage and engage in a meaningful political fight against the true adversary, we must go beyond the simplistic narrative of 'tenant vs. landlord' Social media and news outlets abound with tales of minor disputes, whether portraying an alleged villainous landlord or an undesired lazy tenant. The prevailing focus appears to be on constructing a narrative that centers around collecting stories about altercations that take place at the Tenancy Tribunal.
Media outlets, particularly the public ones, bear significant responsibility. Alongside social media, they possess the ability to shape the narrative and provide a more critical type of content that moves away from the sensationalism trend. This trend aims to capture the reader's attention through an easy-to-read style filled with gossip and rumors about the battles between tenants and landlords. New Zealand needs socially committed media outlets with the political will to elevate the discourse and the courage to point out the true culprits of this housing crisis. These include private entities like Airbnb and financial investment funds influencing the housing market, as well as public institutions such as the Environment Court and other national bodies consistently legislating in favor of private entities.
How to Configure a Collective Entity (an “us”) Capable of Changing Current Living Conditions.
With the current rental crisis, the high cost of living, and other socio-economic issues, there's a pressing need to craft a new narrative where the collective "us" stands as a more formidable, expansive, and united social entity.
To attain this objective, the formation of this unified "us" should be formed through a concept termed by Chantal Mouffe as a "chain of equivalence." This approach doesn't seek to homogenize diverse political demands but rather:
Articulates a spectrum of struggles against domination.
Allows unity to blossom amidst differences.
Establishes articulation under a "hegemonic signifier" (charismatic leader, crystallized common effects, etc.).
This method ensures that political demands become "equivalent," as there is a shared opposition to a common adversary and a joint commitment to a collective project.
Moreover, the "us" should actively engage with existing political institutions and aspire to transform them through democratic procedures. This approach emphasizes a commitment to democratic processes as a means to instigate positive change within the system.
The neoliberal individual.
The collective and gradual reduction of our political awareness can be traced back to the deliberate construction of a specific type of individual that neoliberalism aims to cultivate. This individual is intensely focused on personal growth and development, earnestly striving to become the "best version of itself" by adhering to dynamics that isolate it from the community. The neoliberal subject addresses conflicts through an internal journey of healing, often through practices like coaching, self-help books, semi-spiritual healing approaches, and others. The "ideal neoliberal individual" is one who has severed ties with social and work organizations, including unions. They often function as self-employed workers, managing themselves as a personal business entity, and may not be affiliated with any social-health system, relying on self-sufficiency.
It's important to note that the intention is not to criticize the practices mentioned above outright. Some of these practices indeed offer valuable tools that should be acknowledged. The concern arises when these elements strategically align to support the neoliberal system, actively discouraging any association with public systems that could potentially foster political conflict and, consequently, critique the established order.
Returning to conflict. The only hope to improve our living conditions.
By understanding that conflicts respond to diverse social contexts, we can navigate the complex terrain of political identities and, in doing so, actively contribute to the evolution of our collective progress. Embracing the dynamic nature of conflict in politics becomes a key to unlocking the potential for positive change and societal transformation.
New Zealand, a society that has traditionally been less politically charged, must adopt a more political and activist mindset to counteract the impending second wave of neoliberalism. Similar to the 80s, this wave threatens to disregard numerous human rights and institute new forms of authoritarianism. If not confronted, these changes could gradually become normalized, resulting in a lower standard of living for the people and providing an ideal opportunity for financial investors to continually boost their profits.