ECON 2K03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Saint Lawrence River, Staples Thesis, Frontier Thesis
Document Summary
Historical geography: saint lawrence (the 401 of that time) Frontier thesis: having the ability for people to move into new economic areas Evolution of canadian economy shaped by the unequal competition between capitalists and labour. Key moment in canadian history is the emergence of a working class in the early 19th century. Central role of economic culture: he means the institutions, the rules of the game, the values and behaviors of the people. Focus on expected primary products: the uniqueness of the canadian economy was its primary products. Canada emerges because of its geography, not in spite of its geography. Europe relied on canada for raw materials: however, that was only half of it (continue below) Cotton, gold, fish, furs limited potential for growth. Level of activity in staple sector a function of: Social institutions: insurance, transportation, financing (things needed in order to make the staple profitable)