This study investigates the complex political arguments surrounding Maori claims for justice in New Zealand during the 1980s. Andrew Sharp, a scholar of political theory, examines the competing definitions of justice and rights within the context of a post-colonial society. By analyzing the rhetoric of both Maori activists and the state, Sharp evaluates how different political virtues interact with the historical grievances of an indigenous population affected by modernization.

Experts recognize this work as a foundational text for understanding the intellectual history of New Zealand's bicultural debates. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous framework for analyzing the intersection of political theory and indigenous rights.