The Politics of Development (Forests, Mines, and Hydro-Electric Power in Ontario, 1849-1941)

The Carleton Library Series returns this classic in political economy and Canadian historical writing to print, with a new introduction by Robert Young.

The Politics of Development reveals the full extent of state involvement in the exploitation of natural resources in the province of Ontario and the reciprocal impact resource development has had in shaping politics in the province. H.V. Nelles offers a revised staples interpretation, exposing the resource politics at the heart of central Canadian economic development. He explains the business history of the forestry and mining industries from the mid-nineteenth through the mid-twentieth century, stressing the importance of public policy in their development. He offers a definitive interpretation of the emergence, development, and political dynamics of public ownership within the hydro-electric sector.

Considered one of the seminal works on Canadian political economy The Politics of Development still has important things to say about public policy and will be of interest to historians, political scientists, economists, and those interested in environmental history.