Study Guide for S.M. Lipset, Continental Divide

Lipset is a sociologist who draws heavily on historical material to develop his arguments. The “continental divide” to which he refers is not a watershed, nor is it a reference to a movie; the phrase refers, rather, to the divide between the United States and Canada, not merely the physical border, but more importantly, the points of difference and commonality between the two societies. Lipset’s work is a good introduction to Canadian history and society for American students because it makes comparison with the familiar while fully developing that which is unfamiliar in the more northerly nation.

Acknowledgments and Preface	Always read the prefatory material! This is where you find out where the author stands and what he is trying to do with the book. There are two points in the acknowledgments I want you to note; I'll explain more about them in class. The reference to S.D. Clark The mention of going to Regina in 1945 The Preface is more important. Here you get the rationale for the book. To begin, study the first paragraph. Based on this, why are we studying Canada? Now the second paragraph--we'll go through this bit by bit in class. It begins with a venerable Canadian concept, the idea that the United States is a revolutionary country and Canada is a counterrevolutionary country. It broadens out from that to sketch a more general constitutional contrast between the two nations. We'll be developing this more as we go along. Lipset says, "Canadian intellectuals . . . frequently seek to describe what Canada is about by stressing what it is not: the United States." Think about what this means to national identity. Finally, the method of the scholar, Lipset. How does he go about this study? What is his method? What are his assumptions? Look behind the curtain and see how the scholar works.
Chapter 1: Revolution and Counterrevolution	In your own words, explain what is meant by Lipset's statement "that two nations, not one, came out of the American Revolution." Developing from this basic point, what is its effect on the national mythologies of the U.S. and Canada? Lipset commonly uses the designations "Whig" and "Tory," derived from British politics. Do you understand what they mean historically, and how they apply to Canadian and American affairs here? He also makes reference to parliamentary supremacy as opposed to due process and individual rights. This is related to the distinction between parliamentary government and the American system of checks and balances. Do you understand these distinctions? Why is free trade a more emotional issue for Canadians than for Americans? What is the difference in how we view this issue? On page 8 Lipset states his thesis and method quite clearly. Try to re-state these in your own words. Next Lipset introduces the ideas of Louis Hartz and S.D. Clark. We'll talk about these more in class. With which school of thought does Lipset align? What is the argument to be made that Canada, the counterrevolutionary nation, is superior to the U.S.? As historians, what do you think of Lipset's invocation of Weber's ideas on page 16? Re-state these in your own words and evaluate them.
Chapter 2: The American Ideology	Lipset, and Richard Hofstadter, say that to be an American is defined ideologically. How else might other nations define nationhood? What about Canada? American politics, says Lipset, are characterized by anti-statism. Explain this concept. How about an example? After the American Revolution, did the U.S. become more egalitarian or less so? What is meritocracy? What does it imply for American policy? What is the ultimate source of political authority in the U.S.? Who says so? Lipset emphasizes the individualism of Americans, especially individual rights. How does this contrast with group rights? Can you give a working definition of populism? What are symptoms of it in the U.S.? Now how about a working definition of liberalism? Can you sort out use of this term with conservatism in the U.S.?
Chapter 3: The Canadian Identity	"National identity," says Lipset, "is the quintessential Canadian issue. . . . Canada is a residual country." Echoing John Locke, revolutionary Americans sought "life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness." What did the Fathers of Confederation seek? Created on a conservative basis, did Canada get more conservative or less? Consider the importance of these Canadian differences from the U.S.: Parliamentary government City life Law and order Here Lipset returns to the Canadian tendency to define Canada as not the U.S. What are the negative American traits that Canadians reject?
Chapter 4: Literature and Myths	What has been the effect of the differing Canadian and American national identities on their respective literatures? Explain the gender interpretation of Canadian and American literature. Explain also the "loser syndrome." What is the origin of self-deprecating humor in Canadian writing?
Chapter 5: The Impact of Religion	What are the predominant religions in Canada? What are the historical origins of each in Canada? Compare religious life in Canada and the U.S. in these respects: Utopianism and moralism Coexistence and ecumenism Separation of church and state How do differing attitudes toward religion affect attitudes toward authority and social order?
Chapter 6: Law and Deviance	How do the different frontier experiences of the U.S. and Canada contribute to different mythologies about law and order in the respective countries? Consider the differences in national character and in field practice implied by these phrases: "peace, order, and good government" v. "life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness." Compare Canada and the U.S. in these respects: Crime rates Guns and gun control Individual liberties and due process In recent years, Lipset says, Canada and the U.S. have become more alike in regard to this whole complex of issues. Explain.
Chapter 7: Economic Behavior and Culture	The first part of this chapter poses two prospective explanations of differences between the U.S. and Canada, in particular the greater material affluence of the U.S. Give examples (see in particular p. 119) of Structural factors Cultural factors Lipset favors the cultural explanations. Summarize his argument in respect to: Entrepreneurship Risk-taking
Chapter 8: Government, Welfare, and Philanthropy	In this chapter Lipset extends the cultural explanation of national differences to cover expectations of government. Which society is more communitarian (and what does that mean?)? Which is more individualistic (and what does that mean?)? Compare and contrast national attitudes on the questions of Nationalization of industries Medical care Welfare Education If, as Canadians commonly believe, Canada is a more humane society than the U.S., then why are Americans so much more inclined to engage in charitable giving? The chapter wraps up by invoking a key interpretation: that the Tory (Conservative) tradition and the social-democratic tradition are linked in Canada, that they are two expressions of the same basic impulse. Can you explain this?
Chapter 9: Social Stratification, Trade Unions, and Politics	Which country has the greater social stratification, that is, class differences? Which country's values give greater recognition to class distinctions? How might the two countries define "equality" differently? Compare the two nations in regard to Trade union activity Labor involvement in politics
Chapter 10: Mosaic and Melting Pot	First, explain the differing views of ethnicity and cultural autonomy carried by the terms, "mosaic" and "melting pot." How does Lipset assess the Canadian belief in a more humane Native policy than that of the U.S.? What official or constitutional mechanisms recognize multi-culturalism in Canada? (In class we need to discuss the phrase, "multicultural in a bilingual framework." Historically, what have been the differences and similarities in women's rights in the two nations?
Chapter 11: Center and Periphery	This chapter has to do with balance of powers, and how Canada and the U.S. achieve this differently. What are the indications that Canada has a more de-centralized political system than the U.S.? How does Lipset explain this difference? Think about two main influences: The role of federal v. provincial or state authority in guaranteeing minority rights The importance of structural differences (legislative and executive) at the national level
Chapter 12: Still Whig, Still Tory	"Regardless of whether one emphasizes structural factors or cultural values," Lipset begins, "Canada and the United States continue to differ considerably. . . . At the same time, the two resemble each other more than either resembles any other nation." This is his main finding of fact. Lipset emphasizes the differences, which largely confirms Canadian expectations but surprises Americans. Lipset's conclusion goes beyond a finding of fact, however. He argues that the cultural factors are most important in making the two nations different (or alike, as the case may be). This is something for us historians to chew on, because it has to do with causation. What causes are fundamental: values embedded in the people, or mechanisms embedded in institutions? Do we have to choose between the two?

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