First, both had serious economic crises to overcome. For the British, reinvention was ushered in during the Margaret Thatcher era. In New Zealand, the work was started by the country's Labor Party, a political party not traditionally known for backing entrepreneurial government. Second, both countries have a parliamentary system of government, which lacks the kinds of checks and balances that exist in America's democracy. The prime minister and his cabinet are also members of parliament.
All members have a vested interest in voting along party lines.
Otherwise, a government-backed bill that fails to pass can trigger a vote of confidence in the party that's in power. As a result, legislation such as government reform almost always passes. Third, Great Britain and New Zealand have a tradition of a highly educated civil service. With few political appointees, government ranks are filled with a high level of intellectual, policy-oriented leaders. The result, says Osborne, is fertile ground for moving a reform-oriented agenda forward and getting things done.