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Restructuring and Resistance
Perspectives from Atlantic Canada
Fairley, Bryant; Leys, Colin; Sacouman, James (eds.) Publisher: Garamond Press, Canada
Year Published: 1990
Pages: 270pp ISBN: 0-920059-51-1
Library of Congress Number: HC117.A8R48 1990 Dewey: 338.09715
Resource Type: Book
Seeks to answer two questions: Will the Atlantic region further marginalise to the point of an eventual elimination of the rural economy of small producers and the social system underlying this economy? And can any alternatives be found to the capitalist approach through the resistance and restructuring approach?
Abstract: This book discusses how the struggles of capitalism impact minority populations and those who live in underdeveloped areas the most. Fairley et al focus specifically on the resistance struggles in the Atlantic region and provide a theoretical framework in order to connect each individual struggle within each province in order to build collective alliances. The Atlantic provinces of Canada have suffered a decline in the traditional industrial base causing the spread of poverty and the out-migration of thousands of people. Consequently, all Atlantic provinces are dependant on federal dollars, "the welfare state," since the international capitalist expansion resulted in an economic decline for this region. Workers and producers in the primary industries occupy a central place in the fight against economic decline since these industries are the region's main economic base.
Although the Atlantic Region's reliance on primary industries is a factor contributes to the region's lack of progression in the manufacturing field, these industries remain fruitful since they enjoy possess advantages than other national competitors.
1) Class struggle in renewable resource industries.
2) State takes on a management function as class struggle becomes more political.
3) Primary produces respond to state management with the demand that they assert themselves through organs of collective decision making.
4) Workers tend to be more militant and believe in their own political power.
This book seeks to answer two questions: Will the Atlantic region further marginalise to the point of an eventual elimination of the rural economy of small producers and the social system underlying this economy? And can any alternatives be found to the capitalist approach through the resistance and restructuring approach?
The opening chapters discuss the nature of populism and the relevance of Lenin's critique of Russian populism for the Atlantic Provinces. Subsequent essays also provide an overview of the development of Atlantic Canada with special focus on the main industries: the fishery, the potato industry and the lumber business. All chapters discuss the ambiguous "class impact" of restructuring and the problematic nature of each movement's political potential. Fairley et al call for an alternative socialist form of development formulated from clear alliances between disparate groups of popular classes than a project forged by a single class with a purely Marxist approach.
[Abstract by Amanpreet Dhami]
Table of Contents
List of Figures and Tables
Acknowledgements
Chapter One
Restructuring and Resistance in Atlantic Canada: An Introduction: Bryant Fairley, Colin Leys, James Sacouman and Rick Williams
Chapter Two
Populism, Socialism and the Struggles of Primary Producers: Colin Leys
Chapter Three
'Small is Beautiful' and the Crisis in Newfoundland: James Overton
Chapter Four
The Restructuring of Capital and the Regional Problem: Henry Veltmeyer
Chapter Five
Crisis and Response: Underdevelopment in the Fishery and the Evolution of the Maritime Fishermen's Union: Rick Williams with Gilles Theriault
Chapter Six
A Leaner, Meaner Industry: A Case Study of 'Restructuring' in the Nova Scotia Fishery: Martha MacDonald and Patricia Connelly
Chapter Seven
Class and Gender in Nova Scotia Fishing Communities: Martha MacDonald and Patricia Connelly
Chapter Eight
The Crisis, the State and Class Formation in the Newfoundland Fishery: Bryant Fairley
Chapter Nine
From Family Farming to Capitalist Agriculture: Food Production, Agribusiness, and the State: Tom Murphy
Chapter Ten
Pulpwood Producer Marketing Organizations in New Brunswick: Peter deMarsh
Comment on deMarsh: James Cannon
Conclusions
Restructuring, Class Conflict and Class Alliances: Some Theorectical and Practical Conclusions: James Sacouman
Bibliography
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