The government party

About This Book

This book traces the evolution of the party structure with special emphasis on organization both during and between elections, the relationship of the party organization to the parliamentary leadership, and the connection between the party and corporate capitalism through the mechanisms of party finance. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of political patronage and the linkages between government contracts and financial support for the party. The emergence of advertising agencies as publicity instruments of the party is examined in detail. The second part of the study deals with federal-provincial relations within the Liberal party, especially the relationship between the national party and its provincial counterparts in Quebec and Ontario. Some implications of federal-provincial intraparty conflict for the role of the national party are considered in detail.