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History Post-confederation (1867-)

Militant Minority

British Columbia Workers and the Rise of a New Left, 1948-1972

by (author) Benjamin Isitt

Publisher
University of Toronto Press
Initial publish date
Jul 2011
Category
Post-Confederation (1867-), Social History, Social Classes
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9781442641945
    Publish Date
    Jul 2011
    List Price
    $100.00
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9781442611054
    Publish Date
    May 2011
    List Price
    $48.95
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9781442661882
    Publish Date
    May 2011
    List Price
    $41.95

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Description

Militant Minority tells the compelling story of British Columbia workers who sustained a left tradition during the bleakest days of the Cold War. Through their continuing activism on issues from the politics of timber licenses to global questions of war and peace, these workers bridged the transition from an Old to a New Left.

In the late 1950s, half of B.C.'s workers belonged to unions, but the promise of postwar collective bargaining spawned disillusionment tied to inflation and automation. A new working class that was educated, white collar, and increasingly rebellious shifted the locus of activism from the Communist Party and Co-operative Commonwealth Federation to the newly formed New Democratic Party, which was elected in 1972. Grounded in archival research and oral history, Militant Minority provides a valuable case study of one of the most organized and independent working classes in North America, during a period of ideological tension and unprecedented material advance.

About the author

Benjamin Isitt is a historian and legal scholar specializing in the political and legal history of British Columbia’s working class, with previous works including From Victoria to Vladivostok (UBC Press, 2010) and Able to Lead (UBC Press, 2021). He also serves as a city councillor and regional director in Victoria, BC.

Benjamin Isitt's profile page