This is a collection of linked essays on individuals and companies from 1931 to 1984 who contributed in major ways to building the New Zealand nation. It captures the intertwining of the lives of politicians, their advisers, and those influence them, as well as the ideas and experiences that drove them. While it focuses on economic strategy, the book also looks at the cultural, social, union, business, and foreign policy strands of nationbuilding. An original and provocative book, it is backed by powerful nationalistic emotions and by a deep distaste for the kind of country that has been fashioned in New Zealand since 1984.