Since the emergence of industrialism there have been two other related developments: the birth of modern political democracy and the growth in numbers of a working class and their institution the trade union movement. There can be no doubt that the latter of these two gave rise to the former.

In Canada, for a variety of reasons, political or liberal democracy has become more firmly and broadly established than has the trade union movement. Even now only a minority of the nonagricultural workers are members of trade unions. Nonetheless, trade unions represent the single most important institution to workers. It is trade unions which have been most effective in obtaining and preserving those rights that currently exist for working men, which are directly applicable to their function as workers. Trade unions, through their strength, have forced a degree of justice upon industrial capitalism. Because of their existence, workers’ wages are higher, pensions are better, vacations are longer, jobs are more secure, and management is compelled to take on the facade of civilized behavior.

So far in this century, the Canadian trade union movement has been the most important instrument in bringing to the worker that level of self-respect and independence which he possesses. Political liberties without the trade union movement would have left industrial man as a mere chattel. Political democracy without full industrial democracy in an economically advanced Canada will leave him in a state that is neither degraded nor emancipated; he will remain a semi-contented dependent, subject to the power of others. What is now needed is another step forward.