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ОглавлениеPraise for Fearful Symmetry
“A bracing, relentless argument for a ‘character shift’ that will release Canada from its torpor.”
—William Thorsell, CEO, Royal Ontario Museum
“This book’s expose of some of the sources of Canada’s rush to the left of the United States; of the fact that the chief motives for it are obsolete; and its prediction of a traditional revival, make a stimulating read. The pursuit of a kinder and gentler Canada compared to the US will give way as a national mission to something more galvanizing, as did the preceding inspiration of Imperial solidarity. This excellent analysis by a distinguished and original public policy expert is a fine effort to map out the next national raison d’être.”
—Conrad Black, Franklin Delano Roosevelt
“Fearful Symmetry is one of the most important analyses yet written of the recent history and directions of Canadian public policy. It will undoubtedly be required reading for politicians, civil servants, all possible policy wonks, students, and everyone else concerned about our country’s recent past and its uncertain future.”
—Michael Bliss, Right Honourable Men
“A blockbuster! To be Canadian once meant standing up for individual freedom and responsibility; marriage, family, and work. Today, according to Brian Crowley, we’re a nation of ‘rent-seekers,’ political opportunists and lobbyists, ever looking for someone else to take charge, to pay the bills, to tell us what to do. How did this happen? In a compelling account of economic and political developments from the 1960s to the present, Crowley argues that big government inevitably corrupts identity and mores. But the die isn’t cast. Big government isn’t obligatory. Crowley’s last chapters set out reasons for thinking that Canadians may yet recover their former and better selves! Fearful Symmetry will be an eye opener for the political scientists and sociologists who still believe that the Canadian propensity to depend on governments is bred in the bone and shaped Confederation.”
—Janet Ajzenstat, The Canadian Founding
“A genuine cri de coeur…Fearful Symmetry provides a fascinating account of the demographic forces transforming Canada and does so with a deep appreciation of the historical trends and political forces that have shaped the Canadian nation. This is a book that is required reading for every informed citizen.”
—Rudyard Griffiths, Who We Are: A Citizen’s Manifesto
“In a forthright manner, clearly expressed and with plenty of hard facts, Crowley’s Fearful Symmetry is like an up-to-date national looking-glass into which all responsible citizens ought to peer. There they will find well-grounded political and economic analyses of such as Canada’s worrisome fertility crisis, the debilitating effect (on Quebec as well as on Canada) of Quebec’s quixotic role in confederation, the effects of immigration, population movements within Canada, the reasons for regional disparities, and much more. It is refreshing to have in one’s hands a book that helps us understand where we came from, the mistakes we have made, and how to chart a more certain course for the future.”
—William Gairdner, The Trouble with Canada
“You’ll never see the big picture by looking through the microscope of a single academic specialty. That’s one lesson of this important book. Drawing on history, economics, political science, demography, philosophy, psychology, anthropology, sociology, even poetry, Crowley constructs an insightful new interpretation of Canada’s still recent shift to Big Government and the ‘fearful symmetry’ of the coming shift back to its more classically liberal origins. Many new and surprising connections are drawn and in the process many a conventional wisdom bites the dust.
Do you love Big Government? Look here for compelling reasons—moral reasons—to reconsider. Do you dislike Big Government but despair of its seemingly unending growth? Find here new reasons for cautious optimism. Do you simply seek to understand the particular trajectories of Big Government in Canada? Seek no further. A must read!”
—Ranier Knopff, University of Calgary
“Crowley has not only captured and crystallized some of the most critical conundrums facing the Canadian body politic, he has also provided a path out of our present policy perdition. One doesn’t need to agree (though I mostly do) with his prescriptions to benefit from his clarity of thought.”
—Ken Boessenkool, Research Fellow, The School of Public Policy,
University of Calgary
“This book will change the way I think about our politics and the very nature of Canada.”
—Dr. Drew Bethune, Department of Surgery, Dalhousie University
BRIAN LEE CROWLEY
fearful symmetry
the rise and fall of canada’s founding values
Copyright © 2011 Brian Lee Crowley
Published in eBook format by eBookIt.com
ISBN-13: 978-1-4566-0552-0
All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the copyrights hereon may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means—graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or information storage and retrieval systems—without the prior written permission of the publisher, or, in case of photocopying or other reprographic copying, a licence from Access Copyright, the Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency, One Yonge Street, Suite 1900, Toronto, Ontario, M6B 3A9.
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Crowley, Brian Lee
Fearful symmetry : the fall and rise of Canada’s founding values
/ Brian Lee Crowley.
ISBN 978-1-55470-188-9
1. Canada—History—1963-. 2. Public welfare—Canada—History.
3. Nationalism—Québec (Province)—History. 4. Canada—Social policy.
5.Canada—Economic policy—1945-. 6. Welfare state—Canada—History.
6.I. Title.
| HC115.C765 2009 | 971.064 | C2009-901422-X |
This e-book edition published by:
Macdonald-Laurier Institute
8 York Street, Suite 200
Ottawa, ON K1N 5S6
Text design: Sonya V. Thursby
Electronic formatting: Sonya V. Thursby
For Shelley, who knew I could
when I thought I couldn’t
