Class Conflict in a Prairie City: The Saskatoon Working-Class Response to Prairie Capitalism, 1906-19

Although a great deal has been written about the western Canadian working class in the first two decades of the twentieth century, there is still a need to examine the nature of the labour-capital relations in a small prairie city like Saskatoon. Even though the Saskatoon working class lived and worked in an agricultural economy, it was far from being passive and conservative in ils relationship with the ruling class, especially in the period that led to the labour revolt of 1919. This relationship was based on class conflict, similar to what other workers were experiencing on a national and international basis. Class conflict was not restricted to the workpalce, for it also involved the working-class community when it came to matters of unemployment, living conditions. inflation, and the tragedies of war which enhanced the evils of capitalism. The Saskatoon working class issued both an economic and political response to prairie capitalism which included an astute understanding of the rules of the game and a form of radical politics which aimed at a transformation of society.