lesson 5 - responsible government

what are the criticisms of the state and government in the 20th century (right, left, and technological)

political right: criticisms of deep state, regulations, bureaucracy, etc

political left: views state, police, and legal institutions as capitalist violence oppression and systemic inequality

technological view: companies like uber as better transportation future free of government regulation

problem if we got rid of the government/state

the places without a functioning state are the worst places (afghanistan)

• the nature of human society is to form political societies

what is ‘responsible government’

refers to the specific institutional model of governance derived from the british westminster system

what is the westminster system + how it works

constitutional monarchy: the monarch (crown) is head of the state

• elected gov acts in name of the crown

head of government: prime minister serves as kings first minister

the executive (cabinet): PM selects cabinet members directly from elected MPs

• government stands or falls depending on if they habe the ‘confidence’ of parliament

what is the centre of the westminster system

whether you have the confidence of parliament

why is it called ‘responsible government'

government (executive or cabinet) is responsible to the representatives of the people

• can only pass legislation with the support of the people’s representatives

governance before responsible government

• governor appointed by britain (held exec power and elected their own executive advisors)

• house of commons/assembly (representatives of the ppl, some powers over spending, no ctrl over executive

• legislative council (akin to house of lords/senate, reps of property/established authority)

upper + lower canadas growing citicisms of governance system 1830s/40s

lower canada (quebec)

• Louis-Joseph Papineau led patrioted (french catholic) demanding elected legislative council + local ctrl

• criticism of chateau clique — rich english elites who ctrled colonial gov

upper canada (ont.)

• william lyon mckenzie led reform against elite privilege

• criticism of ‘family compact’ - conservative elite

the rebellions of 1837-38 impact on responsible government

they were easily defeated but had a rise of calls for loyal reform — ‘responsible government’

1840s aftermath of rebellions for responsible government

upper and lower canada turned into province of canada

• lord durham support for westminster system

• in the 40s there were debates over meaning of responsible gov

the beginning of responsible government started with…

nova scotia with joseph howe

• argued that british colonialists deserved the same democratic rights as citizens in britain

• howes reformation won the election

  • peaceful transition of power

importance of joseph howe reformation

• won with a peaceful transition of power

• Nova scotia first colony in british empire to achieve responsible government w/o violence

• showed that political power could shift between rival parties through elections rather than through violent rebellion

what is the rebellions losses bill + backlash + its legacy

a test of responsible government

• bill of compensation for damages during the rebellion

Backlash:

• mobbing of parliament, mobs, breakdown of law and order

• mobbing governor elgin

• lord elgin signed the bill into law bc it passed the majority-elected assembly

legacy:

• established crucial constitutional precedent

  • governor must follow the advice of the cabinet

what has changed with responsible government

• executive now responsible to assembly (stand/fall depending on confidence)

• slow emergence of new terms (house of commons)

significance of responsible government

• early example of democratic governance

• holds government to account

  • though who votes change overt time — system itself remains

  • both democratic and accountable

• peaceful democratic transition