Description
Book SynopsisThe Liberal party has dominated Canadian politics for most of this century. From the 1930s to the late 1950s, under the leadership of Mackenzie King and Louis St Laurent, the Liberals were almost unchallenged in their hold on national office, and in their influence on the Canadian state and Canadian public life.
The Government Party traces the evolution of the party structure with special emphasis on organization both during and between elections, the relationship of the party organization to the parliamentary leadership, and the connections between the party and corporate capitalism through the mechanisms of party finance. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of political patronage and the linkages between government contracts and financial support for the party. The emergence of advertising agencies as publicity instruments of the party is examined in detail.
The second part of the study deals with federal-provincial relations within the Liberal party, es