No left turn : the distortion of New Zealand's history by greed, bigotry and right-wing politics / Chris Trotter.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 372-375) and index.

E.G. Wakefield's wicked dream -- Mr Russell's war -- Smashing the unions : round one -- Blood and butter -- Jamming Uncle Scrim -- Arson in Aitken Street -- Smashing the unions : round two -- The Auckland that never was -- Savage's children -- Stronger seas -- The decent society -- In the running straits of history.

1. E.G. Wakefield's wicked dream -- 2. Mr Russell's war -- 3. Smashing the unions: round one -- 4. Blood and butter -- 5. Jamming Uncle Scrim -- 6. Arson in Aitken Street -- 7. Smashing the unions: round two -- 8. The Auckland that never was -- 9. Savage's children -- 10. Stronger seas -- 11. The decent society -- Epilogue. In the running straits of history.

The way some histories tell it, Europeans came to New Zealand keen to establish a little Britain in the South Seas. Not so, says Chris Trotter. Most nineteenth century immigrants wanted something better than the misery and oppression of the world they had left, and Trotter reveals just how close they and their descendants came to building a new one. On each occasion, however, their achievements were resisted, and ultimately overturned, by those who saw New Zealand simply as a source of profits.