Struggle for souls: Catholicism and communism in twentieth‐century New Zealand

Abstract

In mid twentieth‐century New Zealand, the Catholic Church and the Communist Party both saw themselves as representing working‐class interests and both, at different times, sought influence within the New Zealand Labour Party. Their attitude towards each other was mutual hostility. However, in both the Catholic and the communist press, the primary frame of reference was the international situation rather than the local scene, although international matters occasionally had local repercussions. Catholic anti‐communism was in tune with the general attitude of the country during the Cold War, but died away in the 1960s. There was some tension between Catholics and communists in New Zealand trade unions, but no full‐scale confrontation of the sort that occurred in Australia. Simple demographics ruled it out.