Canada's Political Culture?
Why does Canada's political culture resemble much more closely that of Europe's - i.e., socially democratic, egalitarian, etc., rather than that of the United States? Why do Canadians dislike conservatism so much and like liberalism and social democracy? Why can George W. Bush say, in the U.S., that he "believes in private medicine" and still win an election with over 50% of the vote, but our so-called "Conservative" PM Stephen Harper is in favour of socialized health care? Why can our Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin try to scare the Canadian people during an election by saying that "Harper believes in a fend-for-yourself Canada," but Democratic U.S. President Bill Clinton can openly say that he wants the American people to take more personal responsibility for their lives and be so popular with "liberals"? Why does America have no left-winger of influence and Canada has no right-winger of influence? Why can right-wing conservative Ronald Reagan be so popular in the U.S., but would lose in a landslide in Canada? Why can Pierre Trudeau be so popular in Canada, but lose in a landslide in the U.S.? Why is Canadian "Conservatism" left-wing in the U.S. and U.S. Democratic Party is right-wing in Canada?
I know that these are a lot of questions, but I don't get it.
Comments
Come to where I live in Southern Alberta.
The political culture out here is definitley conservative... definitley not liberal. It's only in certain areas of this country where liberalism is the mainstream political culture. They just seem to think the entire country takes after them becuae they take up the majority of the population.
We actually get sick of that out West.. that's why we give the East such a hard time.
It's not so much conservativism vs. Liberalism, it's the fact that the Liberals have consistently brought out legistlation FOR Central Canada and AGAINST Western Canada... that's where our beef comes from. National Energy Policy, Kyoto Protocol without alberta's knowledge or consent, the Canadian Wheat Board... the list goes on.
Why can an Ontario farmer sell his crops directly, while a Western CAnadian farmer cannot? Why is it alright for legislation to nationalize a natural resource in Western Canada for the benefit of Central Canadian industries... but it's not ok for a Western political figure to run the show in Ottawa? ANYWAYS. back to your question.
I think it's just that, how Central Canada and some prairie regions have been brought up. In the industrial days the teamsters and the uinions were huge... socialized policies were fought for in Canada, and in the United States they were dropped much more easily. In Canada we never pinned our nationalism on an economic system... in the United States they have (or have attempted to). Nationalism really influences how one views him/herself and their views. Look at our nationalism... we barely have one. We're so diverse a nation with so many diffferences we barely have anything to unite us... only beer and hockey really... it sounds nuts but it's true. The Liberals under Trudeau tried to seduce our sense of nationalism onto their political line... just as right wingers have done in the United States.
So look at our nationalism now.. multi-culturalism, peace-keeping, socialized health care.... ALL Liberal policies that Trudeau's Liberals supported. That's why out West we don't associate our natioanlism with that.... we always hated Trudeau and saw hiim only as a respresentative benefitting Central Canada. BUT he was popular out there... so a large chunk of the country has a natioanlism based on his policies. While we do not.
In the States it was the pro-capitalist, anti-communist rhetoric after WW2 that shaped their modern nationalism. It's now patriotic to be capitalist and anti-American to be socialist. Although America was traditionally a bastion for socialists and unionists, that became a thing of the past during the Cold War.
These reasons are what I think causes our political cultures to be so different.
I wouldn't say that's entirely accurate about Canada, even though their Conservatives are not as conservative as the Republicans in the US. Stephen Harper is reasonably close to American conservatives and he's got a strong base of support in the Western Provinces, which to Canada, are the equivalent of the South-a bastion and base for conservatism. Even though Canada's Tories may not be as conservative as American Republicans, I'd say they're far more conservative than most mainstream European conservative parties, including the British Conservative Party, led by Blair-wannabe David Cameron.
Dems are "right wing" compared to Canadian politics? I want some of what you're drinking. The Republicans are roughly analogous to the Tories (and contrary to your question, the Tories are just slightly less stringently conservatove than are US Republicans). The Dems and the Grits see pretty much eye-to-eye, and we here in the US are not cursed by any monstrosity vaguely like the NDP, thank God.
Canada is a more mature society. Almost all modern countries are further down the road, socially, than America.
They want to come here for good health care, and are willing to pay for it. At least the wealthy. Do you get it now?