Culture in the Contemporary Period Wednesday MARCH 18th, 2015

AGENDA Daily Document Socialism Communism Fascism Americanism Secularism Video

Period: __________________________________________________ Date:____________________________ Period: __________________________________________________ Key Ideas: ____________________, ____________________, ________________ Document Analysis: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Socialism, Communism and Fascism An economic system where the production and distribution of goods are controlled by the government rather than by private companies. Communism: The elimination of private property and redistribution of resources by pooling the means of production. They believe that revolution is essential for workers to gain power. Fascism: Promotes totalitarianism (dictator) as well as extreme nationalism.

Socialism and Communism 1920 - 1940 Socialism and Communism were alternative solutions to capitalism which caused social inequality. Socialism denounced the concentration of wealth in the hands of the minority and defended the interests of the majority. Majority = workers Minority = elites Socialists wanted fairer distribution of wealth. Fred Rose, the only communist MP elected in Quebec.

The communists were victims of repression. Some socialists went even further, asking for the elimination of the capitalist system and social classes by sharing the means of production which was communism. Communist ideas were objected by nationalists, clerical elites and by the government. The communists were victims of repression. Maurice Duplessis (premier of Quebec) passed the Padlock Law which closed down any location that was believed to be communicating communist ideas. The doorway of the newspaper "La Clarté", weekly French-language newspaper of the Communist Party of Canada, padlocked by the police in Montreal in 1937.

Fascism from 1920 - 1940 Canadian fascists were inspired by fascist regimes in Italy (Mussolini) and Germany (Hitler) after the stock market crash in Europe. Adrien Arcand was the leader of the National Social Christian Party (Fascist Party in Quebec). The fascists advocated the restoration of a traditional order by authoritarian means. They believed that some nations were superior and that these nations needed an all-powerful leader who would make all decisions for the people (blind-submission).

A representation of Mussolini in a Montreal Church. Between 1927 and 1933, the painter Guido Nincheri painted a fresco in the Church Notre-Dame-de-la-Defense, situated in the Little Italy district of Montreal. At the request of the parish, he portrayed Benito Mussolini on horseback.

Americanism and Secularism after the Second World War A custom and way of life that resembles that of the United States. Secularism: An ideology (current of thought) that believes that only spiritual matters are in the jurisdiction of the Church.

Americanism after the Second World War End of WWII = major changes in Quebec because of economic prosperity. 1950s: salaries rose, working and living conditions improved and leisure time increased. Americanism = new habits of consumption. Purchasing of goods that were unaffordable before (appliances, television)

Time for Leisure Movies remained a popular form of entertainment, and the increasing number of cars led to the creation of a new place for entertainment: the drive-in. Here, the audience could watch a film projected on a giant screen while they stayed in their cars. The soundtrack was played on a small speaker suspended from the car window.

Secularism (criticism of traditionalism and clericalism) The main people criticizing traditionalism and clericalism were artists and intellectuals. Politicians like Pierre Elliott Trudeau denounced traditional values promoted by the Catholic Church. They promoted secularism, meaning they wanted the church and the state to separate. They believed religion was a private matter and as a result the Church should have no authority except in spiritual affairs. Education and social services should be controlled by the government.

Exit Tweet or Exit Card What did proponents of secularism argue?