DOCSLIB.ORG

Reviews / Comptes Rendus

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Reviews / Comptes Rendus Document generated on 09/27/2021 12:14 a.m. Labour/Le Travailleur Reviews / Comptes Rendus Volume 60, Fall 2007 URI: https://id.erudit.org/iderudit/llt60rv01 See table of contents Publisher(s) Canadian Committee on Labour History ISSN 0700-3862 (print) 1911-4842 (digital) Explore this journal Cite this review (2007). Review of [Reviews / Comptes Rendus]. Labour/Le Travailleur, 60, 249–332. All rights reserved © Canadian Committee on Labour History, 2007 This document is protected by copyright law. Use of the services of Érudit (including reproduction) is subject to its terms and conditions, which can be viewed online. https://apropos.erudit.org/en/users/policy-on-use/ This article is disseminated and preserved by Érudit. Érudit is a non-profit inter-university consortium of the Université de Montréal, Université Laval, and the Université du Québec à Montréal. Its mission is to promote and disseminate research. https://www.erudit.org/en/ REVIEWS / COMPTES RENDUS Faith Johnston, A Great Restlessness: ted to romantic adventure and when the The Life and Politics of Dorise Nielsen communist movement in Canada could (Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press no longer provide enough excitement to 2006) keep up her adrenaline levels, she re-emi- grated, upping the ante not only by going She was born Doris Webber in London, yet again to an arena that guaranteed an England in 1902 and died, with a long- uncertain future but somewhere where left husband’s surname and an affected she did not even speak the language. “e” added to her christened name, in Bei- Indeed, in the 23 years Dorise Nielsen jing, China in 1980. In between, she lived spent in China, she never really mastered 31 years in Canada (1926–57), filling the the language. She supported herself mod- roles of rural teacher, farmer, political eling the speaking of English to party activist, Member of Parliament, party workers being educated for international worker. contact and correcting fractured idi- What motivates someone like Dorise oms in documents and communications Nielsen? Certainly her experience as translated for official purposes. But it is unhappy wife to an unsuccessful dirt also clear that a major role Dorise played farmer in a place (northern Saskatch- in Beijing was that of a leading member ewan) and time (Depression) guaranteed of a showcase of resident and subsidized to leave only the moribund unpoliticized foreigners, westerners prized for their was a defining factor, but I think only in dedication to the cause and used as pub- terms of the direction she took, not in lic symbols of international support for terms of the general manner in which she Mao’s regime. The conclusion that she rel- lived her life. Johnston locates Nielsen’s ished this role as a figurehead committed modus operandi in a “great restlessness” to communist ideals is supported by the and provides information that indi- fact that she never seriously considered cates her family found her challenging leaving, rolled without great personal even before she left England. Her largely angst with the punches of the Cultural uninformed plan to emigrate to remote Revolution, and handily wrote off long Saskatchewan evoked distress from her friendships with people who could not mother, derision from her brother, and keep the faith, at least not without doubts stubborn determination from Dorise, and the asking of awkward questions. At once she became aware of their resistance. the end, she was given a memorial ser- For someone who spent her life working vice at the cemetery for revolutionary for that most intellectually identified heroes. In this, she managed a continuity of international movements – Marx- of acceptance not commonplace to others ism expressed in the political arena in in her expatriate community. variously named versions of communism I may have made her sound like an – Dorise always in the end stayed true adventuress, which of course she was, but to her feelings. Hers was a life commit- she could have chosen to live a life com- Table of Contents for Reviews, pp. 5–6 . Book 1.indb 251 10/16/07 2:38:26 PM 252 / LABOUR/LE TRAVAIL mitted to a less admirable ideal than that ful piece of luck that allowed her to sup- of everyone contributing what they can port her children and also to allow her to to their society and taking back only what use her god-given gifts in a way that was they need. Beyond that, Johnston con- meaningful to her. A talented and attrac- tends that Dorise likely incorporated little tive speaker, Dorise Nielsen became a from Marxism into her own intellectual political propagandist and for one term makeup, despite committed, decades- during World War II, was Canada’s first long study and note-taking. For this rea- Communist and third female to serve as a son, it is unlikely that she struggled much member of the House of Commons. with the wavering nature of the party It was the instability of Saskatchewan line. She probably did not have deep intel- political weather in the late thirties that lectual needs for clarity and logic. What provided the opportunity for Nielsen’s she did seem to understand instinctually election to the House of Commons in however was the importance of discipline March 1940 as a so-called “unity can- as an anchor for a, well, restless personal- didate,” meaning hers was a candidacy ity. Her dogged dedication to living out that had been negotiated among various the textbook life of a “communist” is her factions of the fractured prairie left out most apparent demonstration of aware- of which ccf predominance would even- ness of herself as someone who, if left to tually rise. She was more than able to drift, would do so. do justice to the job. Her stamina in the There were four children in all this, one face of endless car trips over bad roads, of whom died in the meaningless tragedy her ability to take enjoyment in deliver- too many prairie pioneers were doomed ing constant slight variances of the same to act out. The other three had erratic message in community after commu- childhoods and were pursued in adult- nity, her cheerfulness in times of little hood by the demons that unhappy child- food and poor accommodation, the fact hoods breed. Paternal alcoholism and that she cleaned up well on a non-exis- maternal restlessness reproduced them- tent budget for clothes and hygiene, her selves in various guises at various times acceptance without sentimentality that in Dorise and Peter Nielsen’s descen- her need to make a living for them must dants. Still, it is difficult to imagine a inevitably mean hard times for her chil- trouble-free life for children born into a dren, all these were of great worth to the grinding poverty that their parents had Communist Party of Canada, with which not prepared for, that their parents had she was first secretly and later openly no control over, and that precious few affiliated. Blessed with an acolyte’s abil- other people seemed concerned enough ity to follow the party line (which in this about to do anything. period included dancing to the changes of Describing the desperate circum- Stalin’s relationship with Hitler), Nielsen stances of parts of the prairies during seemed to be able to turn on a dime and the Depression is one of the many things to take just as much enjoyment in driving Faith Johnston does well in this biog- a point home one day that she had cheer- raphy. People were forced into taking fully and wittily refuted the day before. actions that were both distressing and That her speeches were a delight is not in necessary. Children were boarded out question. Even the Mounties who were with strangers, wives stayed with hus- spying on her said so in their reports. The bands who had lovers, fathers left and cpc had a good show woman and it used were virtually never heard from again. her in every way that it could. In all this, Dorise Nielsen had a wonder- “Use” was of course the operative Book 1.indb 252 10/16/07 2:38:26 PM REVIEWS / COMPTES RENDUS / 253 word. As soon as Fred Rose entered the dian historiography. This book informs House by way of a by-election in Québec, us on aspects of women, the left, the west, Dorise found herself juniored. Failing to and on Canada’s place in international find re-election in 1945, Dorise had to communism. And, not least, it introduces accept being centred in Toronto as part us to a fascinating character, one whose of working for the party, despite her years restless life is worth the telling, in and of of effective service in the west. Faced itself. with a wide variety of issues it wanted to Janice Dickin talk about, the party relegated Dorise to University of Calgary women’s issues. All this, despite the fact that she was the big draw for public lec- tures. She pulled in the crowd but it was Carolyn Podruchny, Making the the boys who got to go for glory. Voyageur World: Travelers and Traders By 1955, by which time her youngest in the North American Fur Trade child was 21, Dorise left Canada looking (Toronto: University of Toronto Press for a more authentic revolutionary expe- 2006) rience. After a period in England, she and the man who had been for some time Most societies have created a series of her significant other, stumbled towards convenient stereotypes that represent in Beijing, where she found her last career. shorthand form crucial aspects of their Johnston comments on the loneliness shared history and sense of identity: John that marked Nielsen’s last years there Bull and Jolly Jack Tar do the job for Eng- but isolation was always a continuing land, while Uncle Sam and possibly G.I.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Women and the Communist Party of Canada, 1932-1941, with Specific Reference to the Activism of Dorothy Livesay and Jim Watts
    Mother Russia and the Socialist Fatherland: Women and the Communist Party of Canada, 1932-1941, with specific reference to the activism of Dorothy Livesay and Jim Watts by Nancy Butler A thesis submitted to the Department of History in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Queen’s University Kingston, Ontario, Canada November 2010 Copyright © Nancy Butler, 2010 ii Abstract This dissertation traces a shift in the Communist Party of Canada, from the 1929 to 1935 period of militant class struggle (generally known as the ‘Third Period’) to the 1935-1939 Popular Front Against Fascism, a period in which Communists argued for unity and cooperation with social democrats. The CPC’s appropriation and redeployment of bourgeois gender norms facilitated this shift by bolstering the CPC’s claims to political authority and legitimacy. ‘Woman’ and the gendered interests associated with women—such as peace and prices—became important in the CPC’s war against capitalism. What women represented symbolically, more than who and what women were themselves, became a key element of CPC politics in the Depression decade. Through a close examination of the cultural work of two prominent middle-class female members, Dorothy Livesay, poet, journalist and sometime organizer, and Eugenia (‘Jean’ or ‘Jim’) Watts, reporter, founder of the Theatre of Action, and patron of the Popular Front magazine New Frontier, this thesis utilizes the insights of queer theory, notably those of Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick and Judith Butler, not only to reconstruct both the background and consequences of the CPC’s construction of ‘woman’ in the 1930s, but also to explore the significance of the CPC’s strategic deployment of heteronormative ideas and ideals for these two prominent members of the Party.
    [Show full text]
  • Francis Andrew Brewin, “He Who Would Valiant Be”: the Makings of a Canadian Anglican Christian Socialist
    Francis Andrew Brewin, “He Who Would Valiant Be”: The Makings of a Canadian Anglican Christian Socialist JOHN BREWIN1 Francis Andrew Brewin (1907-1983) was a formative figure in the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) and later in the New Democratic Party. He helped to shape a party that shaped Canada. FAB, as I shall refer to him, was a lifelong “practising” Anglican. He represented a significant Anglican contribution to the Canadian polity. His religious sensibilities led to his decision to join the CCF in 1935 and determined the nature of his participation. This paper focuses on FAB’s decision to join the CCF, and examines the cultures that interacted to produce that decision. It will be argued that his religion and his politics were completely integrated. In his context it made sense for FAB to become a democratic socialist of the Canadian variety. The paper’s methodology is influenced by the approach of Clifford Geertz, as described by Aletta Biersack.2 The decision by FAB to join and to become active in the CCF is best understood as a cultural event, the convergence of cultures that gave FAB his world-view and informed his actions. I will, therefore, look at each of the main sources of FAB’s cultural perspective. In revisiting the way in which one Christian of a particular tradition responded to the problems of his day, one might glimpse how we might respond to the almost overwhelming social, economic and environmental challenges of our own day. Historical Papers 2000: Canadian Society of Church History 74 The Makings of a Canadian Anglican Christian Socialist Family FAB’s family background was very English and very Canadian.
    [Show full text]
  • Capitalism Unchallenged : a Sketch of Canadian Communism, 1939 - 1949
    CAPITALISM UNCHALLENGED : A SKETCH OF CANADIAN COMMUNISM, 1939 - 1949 Donald William Muldoon B.A., Simon Fraser University, 1974 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS in the Department of History @ DONALD WILLIAM MULDOON 1977 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY February 1977 All rights reserved. This thesis may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without permission of the author. APPROVAL Name: Donald William Muldoon Degree: Master of Arts Title of Thesis: Capitalism Unchallenged : A Sketch of Canadian Communism, 1939 - 1949. Examining Committee8 ., Chair~ergan: .. * ,,. Mike Fellman I Dr. J. Martin Kitchen senid; Supervisor . - Dr.- --in Fisher - &r. Ivan Avakumovic Professor of History University of British Columbia PARTIAL COPYRIGHT LICENSE I hereby grant to Simon Fraser University the right to lend my thesis or dissertation (the title of which is shown below) to users of the Simon Fraser University Library, and to make partial or single copies only for such users or in response to a request from the library of any other university, or other educational institution, on its own behalf or for one of its users. I further agree that permission for mu1 tiple copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by me or the Dean of Graduate Studies. It is understood that copying or publication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Title of Thesi s/Di ssertation : Author : (signature) (name) (date) ABSTRACT The decade following the outbreak of war in September 1939 was a remarkable one for the Communist Party of Canada and its successor the Labor Progressive Party.
    [Show full text]
  • Winning Women for Socialism: the Ontario CCF and Women, 1947-1961 Dan Azoulay
    Document généré le 26 sept. 2021 23:49 Labour/Le Travailleur Winning Women for Socialism: The Ontario CCF and Women, 1947-1961 Dan Azoulay Volume 36, 1995 Résumé de l'article Cet article examine le rôle des femmes engagées dans l'aile ontarienne du URI : https://id.erudit.org/iderudit/llt36art03 Co-operative Commonwealth Federation au cours de la période 1947 à 1961. Selon une nouvelle approche, la recherche soutient que la principale Aller au sommaire du numéro préoccupation des femmes du CCF ontarien, telle que vue à travers le Provincial Women's Committee,était l'accroissement du membership du parti et l'attraction d'autres femmes à l'organisation, et non pas l'avancement de Éditeur(s) l'égalité des femmes, comme l'historiographie existante l'affirme. L'étude affirme aussi que les femmes n'étaient pas significativement sous-représentées Canadian Committee on Labour History dans les positions de pouvoir à l'intérieur du CCF. De plus, la division sexuelle du travail dans le parti était largement provoquée par la timidité des membres ISSN féminins. Bref, les méthodes employées pour gagner les femmes à la cause du socialisme étaient pratiques et adaptées aux circonstances. 0700-3862 (imprimé) 1911-4842 (numérique) Découvrir la revue Citer cet article Azoulay, D. (1995). Winning Women for Socialism: The Ontario CCF and Women, 1947-1961. Labour/Le Travailleur, 36, 59–90. All rights reserved © Canadian Committee on Labour History, 1995 Ce document est protégé par la loi sur le droit d’auteur. L’utilisation des services d’Érudit (y compris la reproduction) est assujettie à sa politique d’utilisation que vous pouvez consulter en ligne.
    [Show full text]
  • Cultural Diplomacy and Nation-Building in Cold War Canada, 1945-1967 by Kailey Miller a Thesis Submitt
    'An Ancillary Weapon’: Cultural Diplomacy and Nation-building in Cold War Canada, 1945-1967 by Kailey Miller A thesis submitted to the Graduate Program in History in conformity with the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Queen’s University Kingston, Ontario, Canada September, 2015 Copyright ©Kailey Miller, 2015 Abstract This dissertation is a study of Canada’s cultural approaches toward the Communist world – particularly in the performing arts – and the ways in which the public and private sectors sought to develop Canada’s identity during the Cold War. The first chapter examines how the defection of Igor Gouzenko in 1945 framed the Canadian state’s approach to the security aspects of cultural exchanges with the Soviet Union. Chapters 2 to 4 analyse the socio-economic, political, and international context that shaped Canada's music, classical theatre, and ballet exchanges with communist countries. The final chapter explores Expo ’67’s World Festival of Arts and Entertainment as a significant moment in international and domestic cultural relations. I contend that although focused abroad, Canada’s cultural initiatives served a nation-building purpose at home. For practitioners of Canadian cultural diplomacy, domestic audiences were just as, if not more, important as foreign audiences. ii Acknowledgements My supervisor, Ian McKay, has been an unfailing source of guidance during this process. I could not have done this without him. Thank you, Ian, for teaching me how to be a better writer, editor, and researcher. I only hope I can be half the scholar you are one day. A big thank you to my committee, Karen Dubinsky, Jeffrey Brison, Lynda Jessup, and Robert Teigrob.
    [Show full text]
  • The Rise and Decline of the Cooperative Commonwealth
    THE RISE AND DECLINE OF THE COOPERATIVE COMMONWEALTH FEDERATION IN ONTARIO AND QUEBEC DURING WORLD WAR II, 1939 – 1945 By Charles A. Deshaies B. A. State University of New York at Potsdam, 1987 M. A. State University of New York at Empire State, 2005 A THESIS Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (in History) The Graduate School The University of Maine December 2019 Advisory Committee: Scott W. See, Professor Emeritus of History, Co-advisor Jacques Ferland, Associate Professor of History, Co-advisor Nathan Godfried, Professor of History Stephen Miller, Professor of History Howard Cody, Professor Emeritus of Political Science Copyright 2019 Charles A. Deshaies All Rights Reserved ii THE RISE AND DECLINE OF THE COOPERATIVE COMMONWEALTH FEDERATION IN ONTARIO AND QUEBEC DURING WORLD WAR II, 1939 – 1945 By Charles A. Deshaies Dissertation Advisor: Dr. Scott See and Dr. Jacques Ferland An Abstract of the Thesis Presented In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (in History) December 2019 The Cooperative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) was one of the most influential political parties in Canadian history. Without doubt, from a social welfare perspective, the CCF helped build and develop an extensive social welfare system across Canada. It has been justly credited with being one of the major influences over Canadian social welfare policy during the critical years following the Great Depression. This was especially true of the period of the Second World War when the federal Liberal government of Mackenzie King adroitly borrowed CCF policy planks to remove the harsh edges of capitalism and put Canada on the path to a modern Welfare State.
    [Show full text]
  • Foreigners Under Mao
    Foreigners under Mao Western Lives in China, 1949–1976 Beverley Hooper Hong Kong University Press Th e University of Hong Kong Pokfulam Road Hong Kong www.hkupress.org © 2016 Hong Kong University Press ISBN 978-988-8208-74-6 (Hardback) All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any infor- mation storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Cover images (clockwise from top left ): Reuters’ Adam Kellett-Long with translator ‘Mr Tsiang’. Courtesy of Adam Kellett-Long. David and Isobel Crook at Nanhaishan. Courtesy of Crook family. George H. W. and Barbara Bush on the streets of Peking. George Bush Presidential Library and Museum. Th e author with her Peking University roommate, Wang Ping. In author’s collection. E very eff ort has been made to trace copyright holders and to obtain their permission for the use of copyright material. Th e author apologizes for any errors or omissions and would be grateful for notifi cation of any corrections that should be incorporated in future reprints or editions of this book. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Printed and bound by Paramount Printing Co., Ltd. in Hong Kong, China Contents Acknowledgements vii Note on transliteration viii List of abbreviations ix Chronology of Mao’s China x Introduction: Living under Mao 1 Part I ‘Foreign comrades’ 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Political Involvement
    POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT: A CASE STUDY OF URBAN PARTY ACTIVISTS POLITICAL INVOLVEtvlENT: A CASE STUDY OF URBAN PARTY ACTIVISTS By PATRICK JOSEPH SMITH, B.A. (Hans.) A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts McMaster University July, ] 970 ~ASTP,R OF ARTS (1970) McMJ'l_STER UN IVERS ITY (Political Science) Hamiltqn, Ontario TITLE: Political Involvement: A Case Study of Urban Party Activists AUTHOR: Patrick Joseph Smith, B.A. Hons. (McMaster) SUPF.R'ilISOR: Dr. R. R. Harch NUMBER OF PAGES: vi, 174 - ii - ABSTRACT - Political involvement is the process of becoming active in the particular political system. One of the most important areas of involvement is the political party. Differences exist among the major Canadian parties that allow them to be placed on a left-right continuum. In this study, the focus is resiricted to activity in local party structures. Four variables of the party involvement process -- political socialization, recruitment, motivation and socio-economic background -- are examined here to see if there are significant differences among the three major political parties in Canada and the personnel that makes up the local executives of their organizations. An analysis of these differences is undertaken to see if they can be explained by the ideological divisions that separate the party associations. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My special thanks must go to my supervisor, Dr. R. R. March, for his assistance and guidance during the preparation of this thesis. I wish to express my gratitude to Dr. H. J. Jacek and Professor T. Truman, for their kind help, and for acting as readers of this thesis.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 4. Religion, Ethnicity, and Politics in Trail’S Immigrant Enclave
    Divided Loyalties A Study of a Communist-Led Trade Union’s Struggle For Survival in Trail, British Columbia 1943-1955 by Ron Verzuh MA, Canadian Studies, Carleton University Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of History Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences © Ron Verzuh SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY Summer 2017 Copyright in this work rests with the author. Please ensure that any reproduction or re-use is done in accordance with the relevant national copyright legislation. Approval Name: Ron Verzuh Degree: Doctor of Philosophy (History) Title: Divided Loyalties: A Study of a Communist- Led Trade Union’s Struggle For Survival in Trail, British Columbia, 1943-1955 Examining Committee: Chair: Jeremy Brown Associate Professor Joseph E. Taylor III Senior Supervisor Professor Allen Seager Supervisor Associate Professor Kendra Strauss Internal Examiner Associate Professor Labour Studies Program and The Morgan Centre for Labour Research John H. Thompson External Examiner Professor Emeritus Department of History Duke University Date Defended/Approved: July 19, 2017 ii Ethics Statement iii Abstract “Divided Loyalties” examines a Communist union’s struggle to survive in the post- Second World War environment of anti-Communism and anti-trade unionism that marked one of the most violent periods in the history of the Canadian labour movement. In 1943, Local 480 of the International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers in Trail, British Columbia, was nearing the end of a six-year battle for certification as the legal bargaining agent for about 4,000 smelter workers. After it achieved that goal the following year and for the next decade, it faced new battles with the employer, the powerful Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company of Canada (CM&S) with its paternalistic president S.G.
    [Show full text]
  • “Doing Your Bit” in the Articles of the Star Phoenix, We Also
    A City Reborn: Patriotism in Saskatoon During the Second World War A Thesis Submitted to the College of Graduate Studies and Research In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in History University of Saskatchewan By Brendan Kelly © Copyright Brendan Kelly, April 2008. All rights reserved. i PERMISSION TO USE In presenting this thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a postgraduate degree from the University of Saskatchewan, I agree that the Libraries of the University may make it freely available for inspection. I further agree that permission for copying of this thesis in any manner, in whole or in part, for scholarly purposes may be granted by the professor or professors who supervised my thesis work or, in their absence, by the Head of the Department or the Dean of the College in which my thesis work was done. It is understood that any copying or publication or use of this thesis or parts thereof for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. It is also understood that due recognition shall be given to me and to the University of Saskatchewan in any scholarly use which may be made of any material in my thesis. Requests for permission to copy or to make other use of material in this thesis in whole or part should be addressed to: Head of the Department of History University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5A5 ii Abstract In the last decade historians have focused greater attention on the Canadian home front during the Second World War.
    [Show full text]
  • Saskatchewan Cooperative Commonwealth Women And
    USING ORAL SOURCES FOR WOMEN'S HISTORY: SASKATCHEWAN COOPERATIVE COMMONWEALTH WOMEN AND THE "ENORMOUS CONDESCENSION OF POSTERITY" by Georgina M. Taylor Cet article dgcrit les expgriences d'un auteur qui a utilis6 l'histoire orale afin de documenter le r6le des femmes dans le Parti social dgmocratique du Canada (PSDC) en Saskatchewan. Son jugement sur la valeur de l'histoire orale rgsulte d'une entrevue que lui a accordge une "pionnigre" du PSDC, Sophia Dixon. Madame Dixon, une femme intelligente et trgs bien informge, a pu combler le vide cr66 par des sources insuf- fisantes et a pu 6galement expliquer le sens de plusieurs documents incompr6hensibles. Tout en poursuivant ses recherches universitaires, l'auteur a rguni de bons argu- ments en faveur de la technique de l'histoi're orale, dans un important expos& sur la m6thodologie historique; elle a entrepris ensuite, dans le cadre d'un projet d'histoire orale pour le "Saskatchewan Archives Board", une gtude approfondie sur le r6le des femmes dans le PSDC. Les enregistrements ont pu servir de sources 2 l'auteur pour sa thgse de maltrise: "Equals or Partners? An Examination of How Saskatchewan Women Reconcile Their Political Activities with Traditional Roles for Women" (Universitg de la Saskatchewan, 1983). Ces sources se sont avgrges particuligrement utiles 2 la docunentation des dilemmes personnels et privgs des femmes actives au sein du PSDC, dans les ann6es 30 et 40. Toutefois, l'auteur nous avertit que si les sources orales sont utilisges isolg- ment, comme ce fut le cas pour de nombreuses histoires popu- laires, le rgsultat risque df$tre imprgcis et incomplet.
    [Show full text]
  • The Transformation of Social Democratic Party Organizations
    The CCF-NDP: From Mass Party to Electoral-Professional Party Murray Cooke [email protected] York University Draft copy Comments welcome Please do not cite without permission. Prepared for the Annual Meetings of the Canadian Political Science Association, June 1-3, 2006, York University. The historical trajectory of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation has been commonly depicted as the shift from movement to party (Zakuta, 1964; Young, 1969; Cross, 1974). These studies depict the grassroots CCF movement evolving into an institutionalized bureaucratic electoral party dominated by an oligarchical leadership. Typical is Zakuta’s assertion that the CCF “underwent considerable change in character during its life span. It began as a rather radical and spontaneous political movement but eventually developed much of the outlook and structure of the ‘old parties.’ It became, in brief, a somewhat conventional political party itself” (1964: 4). These readings of CCF history invoke, explicitly or not, Michels’ theories on oligarchical political parties. For example, according to Walter Young, “The CCF provided an example of the operation of Michels’ Iron Law of Oligarchy” (1969: 140). The formation of the New Democratic Party then represents the victory of the party over the movement. Alan Whitehorn has been one of the few to directly challenge this depiction of the CCF as shifting from a movement to a party. Instead he has argued that the CCF should be seen as an organized and institutionalized mass political party that from its formation was engaged both in electoral politics and extraparliamentary activities such as education (1992: 24). Whitehorn rightly insists that the CCF was, from the beginning, a political party aiming to elect members and form governments.
    [Show full text]