Death of a dynasty: Tory defeat in Alberta.

• Author: Jones, David T.
• Position: Conservative Party of Canada

As professional observers of politics, we study dynasties as part of history. What prompts their rise; what sustains them for decades, even centuries; what prompts their collapse; and what is their aftermath and its meaning?

So we poke about in ancient history reviewing the Chinese Han, Chin, Ming, Sung, and Manchu dynasties. We look at the Greek, Roman, and Byzantine empires seeking rise-and-fall lessons. And, in more modern times, we puzzle over the still reverberating ramification from WWI which destroyed the German, Austrian, Turkish, and Russian Empires. And, likewise, we seek lessons in the post-WWII political spectrum which saw the end of the Japanese Empire and the fatal weakening of the sun-never-setting-on-it British Empire.

We can look with a degree of grim amusement on the pretentiousness of the German Nazi "1,000 year Reich" which lasted 12 years (1933-45). Or the ideologically driven Soviet communists (1917-89) who subsequently could watch the slowly assembled Russian empire disintegrate into component shards post 1991. We can simply be grateful that these vicious tyrannies disappeared--the Nazis in a welter of blood and the Soviets more with a whimper than a bang.

Dynasties in democracies are much harder to assemble. Indeed, if a governing party lasts more than a decade in power, it is noteworthy. The 71-year-rule of the Mexican Permanent Revolutionary Party, ending in 2000, was unparalleled in North America. Consequently, in modern U.S. politics for the Democrats to have held the presidency from 1932 until 1952 was remarkable. Even more so was Democratic Party control of the House of Representatives from 1954-1994.

Turning to Canada, the federal Liberal Party was (somewhat jestingly) called the "natural governing party" and held power for 69 years of the 20th century. Indeed, the opposition Tories gained power only when the Liberals had been more than acceptably corrupt or incompetent.

On a provincial level in Canada, there have been some extended political party powers. Ontario saw Tories govern uninterruptedly from 1943-85; Quebec's Union Nationale (1936-39; 1944-60); Sasketchewan first under the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (1944-64) then under New Democrats (1971-82; 1991-2007); and British Columbia under the BC Social Credit Party (1952-72; 1975-91).

But most recently, it has been Alberta that attracted attention for extended political dynasties: Social Credit (1936-71) and then Tories (September 10, 1971-May 5, 2015) the longest unbroken period of electoral control in Canadian history.

Some Observations on the Alberta Tories. Albertans have been described as the "most Americanized" of Canadians. That is a description true only in the absence of analysis and in comparative Canadian terms. Even the most conservative Canadians stand several steps to the left of most U.S. voters. For example, Albertans accept positions regarding socialized medicine and gun control that no U.S. conservative would endorse. And it is the rare Albertan that would accept the levels of defense/security commitment standard for U.S. politics.

On the other hand, Albertans are vigorously entrepreneurial and have extensively exploited natural advantages of their province (underground resources being a provincial monopoly). First came cattle ranching but, for more than a generation, Alberta could be described as "Texas North" with massive energy extraction and commensurate economic benefits. Much of...