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Divine rights of kings
Absolutism is a political ideology according to which the ruler was said to receive his or her power directly from God's representative on earth. The king and the Church therefore have strong ties. Since the king represents God on earth, nobody could contest or challenge the will of God. -
Catholicism
During the French regime, it is the Catholic Church
who has the most influence on ideas and culture. The
Church is responsible for:
Education
Hospitals and health care
Poor and orphans
Convert the Amerindians -
Founding of the Collège des Jésuites
During the French régime, two Québec City institutions took charge of which of one was The Collège des Jésuites a school for elite boys. -
Founding of Ville-Marie
Ville-Marie was founded by Chomedey-de-Maisonneuve with a purpose to convert Natives to the Catholic faith and the European way of life. It was one of the missions of Ultramontanism to evangelize the Amerindians. -
Founding of the Grand Séminaire
During the French régime, two Québec City institutions took charge of higher education in New France which of one was the Grand Séminaire a school to train priests. -
Publication of the Catéchisme du diocèse de Québec
The Catechism du diocese was a book published by the Catholic Church used for instructional purposes of the Catholic faith. -
British imperialism
In Canada, many partisans believed that Canada should
maintain and reinforce its ties to Great Britain. They were proud to be
in the British Empire and saw no need to be more independent. -
Creation of The Montreal Gazette newspaper
The Montreal Gazette created in 1778 is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Montreal, Québec, Canada. -
Rise of liberalism in Lower Canada
Liberalism is a political ideology to which all individuals have equal and fundamental rights. Fundamental rights such as religious, economic, cultural and political freedoms were very important.
Economic liberalism was the dominant school of thought under the British regime. This movement advocated individual and business freedoms and limitations of the government’s role. Liberal thinkers say that everyone has rights:
To live and be safe
For freedom
To own private property -
French Canadian nationalism
At the beginning of the 19th century, nationalism takes a very political form. It is defended by the members of the Parti Canadien, the future Parti Patriote. These members seek to preserve the Canadian nation and claim the establishment of a democratic system. They do not want to be dominated by the British. It is for this reason that the Patriotes rebel in 1837 and in 1838. -
Ultramontanism
This school of thought was developed in French in opposition to Gallicanism. Ultramontanism affirmed the primacy of the spiritual power of the Church over the State. -
Founding of the Institut canadien de Montréal
Founded by young professionals and intellectuals with liberal ideas, the Institut Canadien de Montréal was an organization dedicated to the promotion of French Canadian culture, arts and education. The Institute organized conferences where they questioned the separation of the Church from State, the abolition of the death penalty, free and obligatory education. The library at the Institut was one of the first public libraries in the colony. It was also the first mainly francophone library. -
Anticlericalism
With the rise of ultramontanism, certain liberals do not want the Church to intervene in the political and social sphere of the province. For them, it is very important that society be more modern and develops outside the influence of the clergy. They refuse the traditionalism of the Ultramontanes and say that a separation between Church and State is necessary.Anticlericalism is an attitude consisting of a refusal of the Church’s influence over any sphere of life other than the religious sphere. -
Rise of capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that encourages the concentration
of wealth and the control of the means of production by a small number of people, as well as free competition. -
Canadian and French Canadian nationalism
After Confederation in 1867, tensions intensified between French
Canadians and English Canadians. The Metis rebellion in 1870 in
Manitoba, the hanging of Louis Riel in 1885, the Catholic school issue in Manitoba in 1890, then in Saskatchewan in 1905 and in Ontario in 1912, the Boers War (1899-1902) and the First World War (1914-1918) will emphasize tensions and misunderstandings between Francophones and Anglophones. -
Agriculturalism
At the end of the 19th century, The Québec clergy tried to ward off the negative effects of industrialization by proposing a new way of thinking known as agriculturalism. This movement promoted rural life and the traditional agricultural way of life. The Church persuaded French Canadians to settle in the undeveloped regions of Québec, such as the Laurentians, the Lanaudière and Lac St. Jean
regions. Curé Antoine Labelle will be the spokesman
for agriculturalism. -
Rise of feminism
The feminist movement slowly began to gather momentum at the end of the 19th century. Women obtained the right to vote in 1918 in federal elections. Québec women were able to vote in provincial elections as of 1940. After World War II, feminism became more demanding. Women claimed political rights and objected to the traditional vision of society in which men dominated. In 1955, with the arrival of birth control pills, women will be more in control of their bodies. -
Rise of the cooperative movement
For easier access to money, several farmers decide to regroup their funds. In order to raise the capital necessary for rural development, these farmers counted on cooperatism. Cooperatism is an economic system that encourages the pooling of resources and a shared management style, as well as shared profits. In 1900, Alphonse and Dorimène Desjardins founded the Caisses
populaires Desjardins. This financial cooperative allowed farmers to
obtain funds to invest in their farm equipment. -
Birth of fascism
Fascism is an ideology that first appeared in Europe after the First
World War. This ideology promotes tradition and totalitarianism , as
well as extreme nationalism. They believe in the instauration of only one political party. This party is led by the leader and all must obey him. -
Rise of socialism
Socialism is a political ideology that criticized capitalism and the industrial development. Socialists denounced the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few and defended the interests of the majority, in particular, they wanted a fairer distribution of wealth. They advocated state intervention to protect business form private ownership. Some socialists wanted the abolition of the capitalist system and social classes by sharing the means of production: this was the birth of communism -
Growing American influence
Québec culture will be greatly influenced by the Americanism. It refers to the principles of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." At the center of the American way is the American Dream, the idea that upward mobility is achievable by any American through hard work. -
Rise of secularism
In the 1960’s secularism is the main current of thought. Secularism is
an ideology that maintains that only spiritual matters are within the
Church’s jurisdiction. -
Rise of Québec nationalism
In the 1920’s, Québec’s population mainly live in urban areas and
industrialization is increasing across the province. Nationalists believe that
urbanization and industrialization will jeopardize the foundation of
the nation. The foundations are :
The Catholic Faith
The French language
Rural life -
Neoliberalism
Neoliberalism is an ideology that advocates a laissez-faire approach
to the economy and calls state interventionism into question. Local and international groups do not want the State to intervene in economic matters. -
Aboriginalism
Aboriginal people are mobilizing and asserting themselves to demand respect for their rights. The Aboriginal peoples hoped that Québec and Canada would recognize their rights and consider their point of view, interests and cultural characteristics. The main objectives are the preservation of Aboriginal culture, maintaining the
traditional way of life and the protection of Aboriginal territories, resources and language.
