Doctrine and disunity in the British Columbia section of the CCF, 1932-1956
Date
1972
Authors
Roberts, Dorothy June
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Abstract
The formation of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation in 1932 brought together political groups representing all shades of left-wing opinion. The CCF gradually established itself as a party of liberal reform but throughout its life, it had to contend with criticism from those members within its ranks who wished to pursue a programme of radical socialism. The radical faction was especially strong in British Columbia where the provincial party had been founded by the Socialist Party of Canada which has based its philosophy on the works of Karl Marx.
This study traces the socialist background of the CCF in British Columbia and examines the major doctrinal disputes which occurred in the B.C. section of the party between 1932 and 1956. It follows the development of ideological conflict from the struggle for control of the new party in its infancy to the adoption of a new statement of principles in 1956.
The main purpose of the thesis is to determine the nature of the radical element in British Columbia and the way in which the party attempted to resolve the difficulties it faced in maintaining a united public image when a significant number of its members did not abide by official party decisions. Research is based primarily on unpublished CCF documents and correspondence. Published sources include CCF pamphlets and policy statements, the Vancouver CCF newspaper, and the Vancouver and Victoria daily newspapers.
The radical socialists were able to control the British Columbia section of the CCF throughout the 19JOs. Thereafter they were a declining influence but remained a highly vocal minority, frequently causing embarrassment to the moderate leadership of the party by making public statements which conflicted with officially declared CCF policy. As the CCF failed to achieve the success it anticipated, the leadership became increasingly concerned that internal strife was a major cause of party weakness. Some moderates believed that many disputes were engineered by an alien group which had infiltrated the party in order to destroy it. The press exaggerated the importance of party quarrels so that the CCF appeared to be less united than it actually was.
In order to present a more harmonious party image to the electorate, the CCF began to enforce disciplinary measures against those who refused to abide by majority decisions within the party, expelling those who were considered to be disruptive. The Winnipeg Declaration of 1956 avoided any implications of revolutionary socialism and committed the party to a policy of liberal reform. Thus it represented the suppression of radical influences as an effective force in determining party policy. The CCF was a democratic organization in which the minority were allowed to participate in the decision-making process. Nevertheless, it was forced to curtail freedom of expression when it became apparent that abuse of this freedom diminished the party's chances of electoral success.