The left in British Columbia : a history of struggle / Gordon Hak.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

List of illustrations -- Acknowledgements -- Abbreviations -- Introduction -- Unions and politics : 1880s-1894 -- Rising radicalism and militancy : 1895-1920 -- Communists and the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation in the interwar wears -- Favourable winds : 1939-1953 -- Social credit, new movements, and NDP government : 1954-1975 -- A new reality : 1976-1990 -- The left after 1991 -- Conclusion : looking forward -- Glossary -- Notes -- Bibliography -- About the author -- Index.

This comprehensive history of the left in British Columbia from the late nineteenth century to the present explores the successes and failures of individuals and organizations striving to make a better world. Nineteenth-century coal miners and carpenters; Wobblies, Single Taxers, and communists; worker militancy in two world wars; the New Democratic Party; the Squamish Five; the Solidarity movement of 1983; and the Occupy movement of 2011 are all part of an historical provincial left that is notable for its breadth and dynamism. Moreover, the political and union initiatives of the traditional left are seen in conjunction with broader movements, including the struggles for women's suffrage and equality, human rights, Canadian nationalist visions, racial equality, and environmental health. Ginger Goodwin and Dave Barrett (as well as WAC Bennett and Gordon Campbell) are present, as are reformist liberals and green activists. Drawing on extensive published scholarship and primary newspaper sources, Dr. Hak's thorough examination of the British Columbia experience offers an historical context for understanding the contemporary left and a framework for considering future alternatives.

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