Print - The Canadian Jewish Heritage Network - Alex Dworkin Canadian Jewish Archives

Scope and Content: Reports about Social Credit (1945, 1947-1950, 1962). Canadian Jewish Congress and other memos (1943, 1945, 1947-1953, 1962) and background material (excerpts from Social Credit speeches, correspondence, pamphlets and articles), often with Canadian Jewish Congress analysis (1930s-1950s). Corresponde…

Scope and Content: Reports about Social Credit (1945, 1947-1950, 1962). Canadian Jewish Congress and other memos (1943, 1945, 1947-1953, 1962) and background material (excerpts from Social Credit speeches, correspondence, pamphlets and articles), often with Canadian Jewish Congress analysis (1930s-1950s). Correspondence (1942-1951, 1955, 1962-1964). Douglas correspondence with Daiches (1940s). List of anti-Semitic Social Credit articles (1946). Interview (1951). Lecture texts (1946, 1949-1950). CCF pamphlet (1947). "Michael" journal (198l-1983, 1987). Social Credit literature (1935-1936, 1944-1946, 1962-1963). "Vers Demain" (1946-1947, 1953-1956 [for 1939, see CJC library]). Clippings (1933-1983, with gaps).

History / Biographical: The economic doctrine of Social Credit was developed by C.H. Douglas, of England in the 1920s. He believed in the distribution of money (or "social credit") to provide the populace with adequate purchasing power, resulting in a stronger economy. His policies became popular only in Canada, when evangelist W. Aberhart began promoting them on his radio show in 1932. By 1935 the Social Credit Party was in power in Alberta, and remained until 1971, ironically by employing very conservative economic policies (and the province's massive oil revenues). W.A.C. Bennett used similar tactics when he became premier of British Columbia in 1952. The party was also popular in Quebec in the 1950s and 1960s under Côté-Mercier and Even, and later Caouette, and the Federal party did well in Alberta. At first, the Social Credit was often openly anti-Semitic, describing a world economic conspiracy involving such families as the Rothschilds, or "International Communism, Socialism, High Finance and Political Zionism." However, after a split in the party, the anti-Semitic elements were curbed, and Quebec members who continued to promulgate them were shunned. The party declined over the decades, until it partly disbanded in 1980, ceasing to be a viable political force. Even where the name is still used, Social Credit policies are not.