Is an incompetent government better than no government? With Canada’s financial and policy record, it is hard to tell.

In the 1920s-1930s Prince Edward Island faced an economic depression with little to no government financially. Unlike most provinces that had a per capita program, the government decided to instill a grant scheme instead; resulting in the federal funding of this province to fall around 3.3 percent with a monthly$1.93 in financial aid, where other provinces received $6.18 per month [1].

This blatant disregard for the welfare of these people is a disgusting display of how faulty can lead to disparity for the people. Furthermore, the great power in Canada at this time must be addressed to fully understand the effects of government incompetence.

While this depression was taking place, the Red Cross, specifically the head nurse, Mona Wilson, made great strides to control diseases such as tuberculosis [2]. However, since the Roman Catholics largely avoided contact with the Red Cross and its volunteers, the organization was prevented from aiding the people of Prince Edward Island as much as it would have liked [3]. The government could not intervene with this as both it and the church were in constant struggle for power, as seen by Pope Pius XI’s promotion of subsidiarity; claiming that that institutions such as the government existed for a select few individuals, and should work as locally as possible to avoid harm [4]. Clearly an attempt to turn favour away from the government and establish its own power. Imagine all the good such institutions as the Red Cross could have done in PEI if not hindered by this foolishness.

Though, of course there are more examples like this. During this time in the rest of Canada, the church had influenced the government to only allow the purchase of alcohol in private residences; only allowing for establishments to gain a licence later in 1934 [5]. Yet, the ICBO had a lot of trouble deciding which clubs were allowed a licence [6]. The guidelines were supposed to be a private establishment, and according to Chief Commissioner Edmond Odette, that extended to golf clubs, of which he was a member of three [7]. But, what’s the harm in allowing various types of clubs to sell alcohol? Well, the problem isn’t the licensing itself, but rather the inconsistency of this regulation. Not only does this cause confusion on which type of club qualifies, but it also creates unfairness amongst those with licences. Different establishments had to pay different annual fees for their license; Hotels paid $300, civilian clubs paid $100, and veterans clubs paid $50 [8]. With varying fees like these, having an inconsistent system to name these establishments makes it hard to justify why some proprietors need to pay more than others. What is the point of an unjust system?

In the feudalist tradition, organization was equated with the concept of ‘anarchy’; and the goal of society is not ‘unity’ or ‘order’, but an organic and natural harmony [9]. This means that humans are of seeking justice and peace without the interference of such institutions as government and the church. Perhaps Canadians would be better off left to their own devices.

[1]Macdonald, “Doing More with Less: The Sisters of St Martha (PEI) Diminish the Impact of the Great Depression,” Acadiensis, 33, 1 (Autumn, 2003): 24-25.

[2]Macdonald, “Doing More with Less: The Sisters of St Martha (PEI) Diminish the Impact of the Great Depression,” Acadiensis, 33, 1 (Autumn, 2003): 26.

[3]ibid

[4]Macdonald, “Doing More with Less: The Sisters of St Martha (PEI) Diminish the Impact of the Great Depression,” Acadiensis, 33, 1 (Autumn, 2003): 27.

[5]Malleck, “The Same as a Private Home?: Social Clubs, Public Drinking, and Liquor Control in Ontario, 1934-1944,” Canadian Historical Review, 93, 4 (December 2012): 556.

[6]Malleck, “The Same as a Private Home?: Social Clubs, Public Drinking, and Liquor Control in Ontario, 1934-1944,” Canadian Historical Review, 93, 4 (December 2012): 557.

[7]Malleck, “The Same as a Private Home?: Social Clubs, Public Drinking, and Liquor Control in Ontario, 1934-1944,” Canadian Historical Review, 93, 4 (December 2012): 575.

[8]ibid

[9]de Geus, Marius. 2014. “Peter Kropotkin’s anarchist vision of organization.” Ephemera: Theory & Politics In Organization 14, no. 4: 871.