Page 44 - Cultural Studies and Political Economy

Genealogy of Political Economy 33

The Staples Thesis
According to the staples thesis of Canadian economic development, the ex-
traction or processing of staples or natural resources (first fish, then fur, tim-
ber, wheat, and minerals) transformed environments, with important conse-
quences for people’s thought structures, social organization, and activities. In
The Cod Fisheries, for example, Innis noted that the fish trade, centered on
submerged land masses forming multitudinous bays and harbors along the At-
lantic coast of North America, induced decentralized control. Prior to settle-
ment, law and order were enforced in each harbor by an “admiral,” the sea
captain whose ship was first to arrive in the spring. Initially, settlements es-
tablished on the basis of the European demand for fish were limited to coastal
areas, resulting in their isolation from the continent’s interior. The shift west-
ward of the fur trade and the subsequent development of the timber trade,
however, encouraged more complete settlement, particularly in areas of the
St. Lawrence River. In Newfoundland, however, geography and climate se-
verely constrained agricultural development, and so specialization in cod
continued. 131
According to Innis, the rise to predominance of a new staple, in combina-
tion with technological change, invariably produced a “period of crisis.” Ad-
justments needed to be made and new patterns of social interaction devel-
oped. 132 Groups controlling the new staple and the new technology ascended
to power, while the influence of the group associated with the old staple and
the old technology waned.
In The Fur Trade in Canada Innis emphasized the disruption or imbalance
resulting when previously separate civilizations come into closer contact. Fur
(beaver pelts), in a sense, was a medium bringing “a relatively complex civ-
133
ilization” into contact with “a much more simple civilization” —with dra-
matic consequences. Concentrating on fur production meant that European
settlers lacked the motivation to develop indigenous manufacturing. 134 More-
over, the infrastructure (transportation, trade, finance) and government activ-
ities were subordinated to the production of staples for export rather than be-
ing developed to encourage a broader economic and social base. As Di
Norcia, interpreting Innis, summarizes, “hinterland economies . . . are rigidly
biased in favour of resources and their depletion.” 135 The weakness of the
colonies resulting from heavy specialization in staples also necessitated “re-
liance upon military support from the mother country.” 136
The medium of fur also had a drastic impact on indigenous peoples. In ex-
change for furs, native peoples acquired “iron goods” such as hatchets,
knives, scissors, needles, and most significantly muskets, 137 greatly disrupt-
ing their ways of life. Guns, for instance, which replaced bows and arrows,
required both periodic repair and a steady flow of parts and ammunition,