{"product_id":"9781459406643","title":"XHarperism: How Stephen Harper and his think tank colleagues have transformed Canada","description":"\u003cp\u003e Margaret Thatcher transformed British political life forever. So did Ronald Reagan in the United States. Now Canada has experienced a similar, dramatic shift to a new kind of politics, which author Donald Gustein terms Harperism. Among its key tenets:\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA weakened labour movement--and preferably the disappearance of unions--will contribute to Canada's economic prosperity\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eCutting back government scientific research and data collection will improve public policy-making\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eEliminating First Nations reserves by converting them to private property will improve conditions of life for aboriginal peoples\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eInequality of incomes and wealth is a good thing--and Canada needs more of it\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e \u003cp\u003eThese and other essential elements of Harperism flow from neo-liberal economic theories propounded by the Austrian economist Friedrich von Hayek and his U.S. disciples. They inspired Thatcherism and Reaganism. Stephen Harper has taken this neo-liberalism much further in many key areas. As Donald Gutstein shows, Harper has successfully used a strategy of incremental change coupled with denial of the underlying neo-liberal analysis that explains these hard-to-understand measures.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe success of Harperism is no accident. Donald Gutstein documents the links between the politicians, think tanks, journalists, academics, and researchers who nurture and promote each other's neo-liberal ideas. They do so using funds provided by ultra-rich U.S. donors, by Canadian billionaires like Peter Munk, and by many big corporations--all of whom stand to gain from the ideas and policies the Harperites develop and push. \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis book casts new light on the last ten years of Canadian politics. It documents the challenges that Harperism--with or without Stephen Harper--will continue to offer to the many Canadians who do not share this pro-market world view.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"James Lorimer \u0026 Company Ltd., Publishers","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47124484554992,"sku":"9781459406643","price":16.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781459406643_p0.jpg?v=1763866159","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781459406643","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}