Main content

The left in British Columbia : a history of struggle

Available Formats:

  • Publisher:
    Ronsdale Press, 2013
    Note: This book was purchased with support from the Government of Canada's Social Development Partnerships Program - Disability Component.

Details:

  • Author: Hak, Gordon
    Date:
    Created
    2013
    Summary:

    This comprehensive history of the left in British Columbia from the late nineteenth century to the present explores the successes and failures of individuals and organizations striving to make a better world. Nineteenth-century coal miners and carpenters; Wobblies, Single Taxers, and communists; worker militancy in two world wars; the New Democratic Party; the Squamish Five; the Solidarity movement of 1983; and the Occupy movement of 2011 are all part of an historical provincial left that is notable for its breadth and dynamism. Moreover, the political and union initiatives of the traditional left are seen in conjunction with broader movements, including the struggles for women’s suffrage and equality, human rights, Canadian nationalist visions, racial equality, and environmental health. Ginger Goodwin and Dave Barrett (as well as WAC Bennett and Gordon Campbell) are present, as are reformist liberals and green activists. Drawing on extensive published scholarship and primary newspaper sources, Dr. Hak’s thorough examination of the British Columbia experience offers an historical context for understanding the contemporary left and a framework for considering future alternatives.

    Original Publisher: Vancouver, Ronsdale Press
    Language(s): English
    Collection(s)/Series: British Columbia Collection