King and Chaos
The 1935 Canadian General Election
9780774868808
Distributed for University of British Columbia Press
King and Chaos
The 1935 Canadian General Election
A study of the groundbreaking inclusion of third parties in the Canadian election of 1935.
In 1935, Canadians went to the polls against the backdrop of the Great Depression and deteriorating geopolitics. The election was like no other, as five major parties competed for voters who were used to a traditional slate of Liberals versus Conservatives. King and Chaos examines the significance of this turning point in political history.
As the Conservative government splintered under the weight of outdated policies, the opposition Liberals watched the destruction. Meanwhile, the newly minted Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, Social Credit Party, and the Reconstruction Party broadened the electoral base, bringing working-class Canadians—and working-class issues—more directly into the political process. Although Canadians ultimately swept Liberal Mackenzie King back into power, King and Chaos demonstrates that the advent of third parties transformed the political landscape. And while other countries turned to dictators and demagogues, King delivered a less radical but equally important change: an effective electoral machine and a national coalition of French and English Canada that dominated politics for the next generation.
In 1935, Canadians went to the polls against the backdrop of the Great Depression and deteriorating geopolitics. The election was like no other, as five major parties competed for voters who were used to a traditional slate of Liberals versus Conservatives. King and Chaos examines the significance of this turning point in political history.
As the Conservative government splintered under the weight of outdated policies, the opposition Liberals watched the destruction. Meanwhile, the newly minted Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, Social Credit Party, and the Reconstruction Party broadened the electoral base, bringing working-class Canadians—and working-class issues—more directly into the political process. Although Canadians ultimately swept Liberal Mackenzie King back into power, King and Chaos demonstrates that the advent of third parties transformed the political landscape. And while other countries turned to dictators and demagogues, King delivered a less radical but equally important change: an effective electoral machine and a national coalition of French and English Canada that dominated politics for the next generation.
304 pages | 20 halftones, 2 maps, 4 tables | 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 | © 2023
Political Science: Comparative Politics, Political Behavior and Public Opinion
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Reviews
Table of Contents
Foreword: Turning Point Elections and the Case of the 1935 Election / Gerald Baier and R. Kenneth Carty
Preface
Introduction
1 Depression Politics
2 What’s Left and Who’s Right?
3 It’s Time for a New Deal
4 The Campaign Begins
5 King or Chaos?
6 And in the End
Appendix 1: List of Key Players
Appendix 2: Timeline of Events
Notes; Suggestions for Further Reading; Index
Preface
Introduction
1 Depression Politics
2 What’s Left and Who’s Right?
3 It’s Time for a New Deal
4 The Campaign Begins
5 King or Chaos?
6 And in the End
Appendix 1: List of Key Players
Appendix 2: Timeline of Events
Notes; Suggestions for Further Reading; Index
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