EBOOK
About
At the end of the twentieth century, as social democratic parties around the world struggled to produce a coherent response to the deindustrialization crisis, many pivoted towards progressive neoliberalism and Third Way social democracy. Almost everywhere, they turned their backs on the weakened trade union movement and embraced neoliberal assumptions about labour force flexibility and global competition. Shamefully, Third Way social democrats emphasized the moral dimension of poverty rather than its structural causes as they abandoned the old redistributive class politics of the Left.
Based on extensive archival research and interviews with NDP politicians, senior economic policy advisors, and trade unionists, The Left in Power examines the response of the political Left in Ontario to the crisis that gripped the old 'industrialized world.' Steven High revisits the heartbreaking years of Bob Rae's Ontario NDP government-from their historic and unexpected 1990 victory, to their policy shifts that left working-class voters feeling betrayed, to their landslide defeat in 1995-to uncover what we can learn from one social democratic party's mistakes about how to govern from the Left. The Left in Power examines how the political Left in power responded to the industrial crisis that gripped the old 'industrialized world' in the late 20th century.
"The 'slow-motion train wreck that was the Rae government' of 1990-95 haunts us still-those five years of confusion and compromise, arrogance and betrayal, in which dreams of a cooperative commonwealth in Ontario were supplanted by casino capitalism, the corporatization of government, and an intensified attack on the foundational principles of collective bargaining, all justified in the name of the social democratic values of the NDP. Based on intrepid work in the archives and penetrating interviews with the NDP brain trust, High's brilliant book is a powerhouse of new insights into this tragic moment. Here is a must-read for all students of the Canadian left and of the global neoliberal counter-revolution."
"Much more than a postmortem of Bob Rae's ill-fated government in the face of the neoliberal surge, Steven High explores the conflicts between working-class politics, 1960s-era community ideals, and notions of 'progressive competitiveness' in the Ontario NDP. A compelling story of a struggling government, The Left in Power is an insightful discussion of the evolution of social democracy in Canada and internationally, as well as of the significance of class in the 1990s and beyond. This is an important book for our times."
"Lively, insightful, and provocative, Steven High's thoughtful examination of Bob Rae's NDP government is a frank assessment of the party's unexpected victory, how little it was prepared for power, and the consequences of gaining office during one of the most daunting economic periods in the province's history. The Left in Power is essential reading for anyone interested in Ontario's history, NDP party politics, and the past, present, and future of the Left in Canada."
"With impressive detail, Steven High probes the challenges of the social democratic left in power through a reexamination of the Ontario New Democratic government of the early 1990s. High argues that understanding the failure of the NDP government requires attending to the 'industrial crisis' that saw the party's base of support in labour decimated and disorganized by free trade and plant closures. Anyone seeking to understand the origins of the myriad crises facing the Canadian labour movement and the electoral Left today must read The Left in Power."
"The 1980s saw the growth of neoliberal globalization. At the same time the NDP was transitioning from left nationalism to progressive competitiveness to deal with the new world order. Their surprise 1990 election came as the province struggled with the worst economic downturn s
Based on extensive archival research and interviews with NDP politicians, senior economic policy advisors, and trade unionists, The Left in Power examines the response of the political Left in Ontario to the crisis that gripped the old 'industrialized world.' Steven High revisits the heartbreaking years of Bob Rae's Ontario NDP government-from their historic and unexpected 1990 victory, to their policy shifts that left working-class voters feeling betrayed, to their landslide defeat in 1995-to uncover what we can learn from one social democratic party's mistakes about how to govern from the Left. The Left in Power examines how the political Left in power responded to the industrial crisis that gripped the old 'industrialized world' in the late 20th century.
"The 'slow-motion train wreck that was the Rae government' of 1990-95 haunts us still-those five years of confusion and compromise, arrogance and betrayal, in which dreams of a cooperative commonwealth in Ontario were supplanted by casino capitalism, the corporatization of government, and an intensified attack on the foundational principles of collective bargaining, all justified in the name of the social democratic values of the NDP. Based on intrepid work in the archives and penetrating interviews with the NDP brain trust, High's brilliant book is a powerhouse of new insights into this tragic moment. Here is a must-read for all students of the Canadian left and of the global neoliberal counter-revolution."
"Much more than a postmortem of Bob Rae's ill-fated government in the face of the neoliberal surge, Steven High explores the conflicts between working-class politics, 1960s-era community ideals, and notions of 'progressive competitiveness' in the Ontario NDP. A compelling story of a struggling government, The Left in Power is an insightful discussion of the evolution of social democracy in Canada and internationally, as well as of the significance of class in the 1990s and beyond. This is an important book for our times."
"Lively, insightful, and provocative, Steven High's thoughtful examination of Bob Rae's NDP government is a frank assessment of the party's unexpected victory, how little it was prepared for power, and the consequences of gaining office during one of the most daunting economic periods in the province's history. The Left in Power is essential reading for anyone interested in Ontario's history, NDP party politics, and the past, present, and future of the Left in Canada."
"With impressive detail, Steven High probes the challenges of the social democratic left in power through a reexamination of the Ontario New Democratic government of the early 1990s. High argues that understanding the failure of the NDP government requires attending to the 'industrial crisis' that saw the party's base of support in labour decimated and disorganized by free trade and plant closures. Anyone seeking to understand the origins of the myriad crises facing the Canadian labour movement and the electoral Left today must read The Left in Power."
"The 1980s saw the growth of neoliberal globalization. At the same time the NDP was transitioning from left nationalism to progressive competitiveness to deal with the new world order. Their surprise 1990 election came as the province struggled with the worst economic downturn s