United Farmers

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The movement of the United Farmers (dt. United farmers ) came to Canada after the First World War on. After the then unionist coalition government refused to change the structure of tariffs in favor of crisis-ridden agriculture , several farmers' organizations radicalized and became politically active. The United Farmers formed the government in three provinces. Further developments in the provinces varied: in some the peasant movements joined socialist groups, in others the Liberals or the Conservative Party.

Political orientation

The movement came to power in elections in the provinces of Ontario , Alberta and Manitoba and was the government there. At the federal level, it was linked to the Progressive Party , although the ideological boundaries were mostly fluid. The United Farmers rejected the National Policy of the Conservative Party from the high tariffs to protect Canadian industry from foreign competition envisaged (which in turn agriculture deprived). At the same time, they felt that the Liberal Party was not strong enough to advocate free trade and was too concerned with the interests of business leaders.

In general, the peasant movements formed political alliances with working class groups and socialists. However, when they set up provincial governments, they stood out for their pragmatic policies and ideologically oriented themselves towards the liberals. This created a rift between the United Farmers governments and their organizations.

Provincial Organizations

Alberta

The United Farmers of Alberta (UFA) formed the provincial government in Alberta from 1921 to 1935. During the same period you were represented by several MPs in the Canadian lower house . These initially belonged to the faction of the Progressive Party, but appeared independently from 1926. The political movement disintegrated in 1935 after a scandal. Today the UFA operates as a non-political cooperative.

Manitoba

In contrast to the other provinces, the United Farmers of Manitoba (UFM) did not form an alliance with the labor movement. In the provincial election of 1920, several “farmer candidates” were chosen. The UFM officially competed for the first time in 1922 and won the election. Prime Minister John Bracken cut the cooperative from politics and renamed the movement the Progressive Party of Manitoba . This merged with the Conservative Party at the federal level, from which the Progressive Conservative Party emerged.

Saskatchewan

Members of the Farmers 'Union of Canada and the Saskatchewan Grain Growers' Association founded the United Farmers of Canada (Saskatchewan Section) in 1926. When the Great Depression and Dust Bowl nearly brought agriculture to a standstill, the UFC (SS) became a political movement advocating socialist causes. In 1932 she joined forces with the Independent Labor Party, from which two years the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation emerged, the forerunner of the New Democratic Party .

Ontario

In Ontario , the United Farmers of Ontario (UFO) formed the provincial government after the 1919 election. After the election defeat in 1923 and the formal resolution of the UFO to withdraw from politics, the remaining MPs appeared as progressives. One part of the movement formed an alliance with the Ontario Liberal Party under the name Liberal-Progressive until 1934 , while another part joined the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation. At times, the UFO was also represented in the Canadian House of Commons.

Quebec

The Fermiers unis du Québec were founded in 1920. The following year they merged with the Union des cultivateurs du Québec to form the Parti fermier-progressiste du Québec (PFC). The PFC took part unsuccessfully in the 1921 general election and then disbanded.

Nova Scotia

The United Farmers of Nova Scotia , founded in 1920, won nine seats in the provincial elections that same year. Together with the MPs of the Labor Party, they formed a parliamentary group and led the opposition. The party disintegrated by 1925 as a result of a bribery scandal.

New Brunswick

In the provincial election in 1920, nine representatives of the United Farmers of New Brunswick were elected. They joined the faction of the Liberal Party and supported its minority government. Four years later, all farmers' representatives lost their seats and none of them succeeded in being elected in subsequent elections.

Newfoundland

Newfoundland was an independent state from Canada until 1949. Although it was not a farmers' organization and rather represented the interests of fishermen, the Fishermen's Protective Union , which existed from 1908 to 1934, was very similar to the Canadian United Farmers.

See also

Web links