Running Head: RESEARCH ON LEONARD MARSH’S REPORT OF 1943 1

Research on Leonard Marsh’s report of 1943

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RESEARCH ON LEONARD MARSH’S REPORT OF 1943 2

Research on Leonard Marsh’s report of 1943

The economic crises of Canada in 1930s paced the way for variant agencies in vulnerable

Canadian communities struck by poverty. The economic constraint that emerged from natural

calamities endorsed by the great depression led to the construction of economic plans for the

future. World War II coupled with other political and economic challenges left families in

devastation. As such, the Federal government, through the wisdom of the provincial and local

government, provided relief to affected families. The majority of these families were jobless;

thus, they could not support their families (Marsh, 2018).

Furthermore, the Federal government encouraged the positioning of social change to

protect these families from economic crises. In this spirit, Leonard Marsh set out a

recommendation report to the reconstruction committee to aid in social security planning. This

research, therefore, examines the historical context of Marsh Report, 194, its impact on the old

and current social security policies on Canadian lives. In addition, the paper analyses, the worries

presented on the report over the future of the affected Canadian communities.

The historical factors that led to the social problem

The Marsh Report of 1943 emerged as a social response to the social security sector of

the Canadian economy following the historical wartime experience. The Second World War

presented dynamical lessons in the running of the economy and social welfare of the Canadians.

The great challenge encompassed the stunted social planning policies that failed to upscale with

changes in economic strategies. Studies show that Canadians demanded comprehensive planning

in social security to better their social relations with the government (George 2018). Mostly,

these demands ideated from the concept of strategic plans used during the post-World War. As a

result, the Canadians feared the impact of inadequate plans that could draw them close to the
RESEARCH ON LEONARD MARSH’S REPORT OF 1943 3

worse moments of economic constraints. Arguably, “wartime sacrifices strengthened Canadian

conviction that their government owed them guarantees of decent incomes” (Finkel 2006, p.143).

Since the majority of the Canadians experienced the smoothness and benefits of planned

economic strategies, they opted for the same.

The great depression of 1920 also merited the publication of Marsh report in fashionable

ways. The Great Depression induced harsh economic moments in the country. According to

George (2018), out of the majority of the developed countries, the economy of Canada was hit

the most during the Great Depression. The Gross Domestic Product declined with big percentage

margins of over 38.4%. The prices of imported commodities increased while the importation

costs declined tremendously. These means that it was difficult to trade because the cash flow in

the economy became unsustainable. Eventually, the rate of dependencies on influential

businesspeople increased. Thousands of youth and adults became jobless in 1935, which

triggered social discontent. Overall, the Great depression hinted the Marsh that having organized

social relations would improve the quality of Canadian life. The argument is consistent with the

claims raised in the report that touches on the appeal to have Canadians employed. Therefore, the

report in different ways drew from the devastations of the excellent economy that crippled the

Canadian economy. Marsh looked back in time and proposed to the affordable government

livelihood concerning food, shelter, and clothing.

Also, the report was induced by the parallel report presented by Sir William Beveridge of

1942. Beveridge was commissioned by the sitting government to draft a planning proposal on

social insurance schemes that would help after wartime (George 2018). In this report, Beveridge

mentioned reconstruction ideas on the economic revolution that are consistent and parallel to

Marsh’s Report. Having been released two months after the Beveridge report, Marsh report
RESEARCH ON LEONARD MARSH’S REPORT OF 1943 4

broadened the concerns raised from Beveridge’s perspective. In context, the report hints on

international credibility that would steer the Canadian social welfare after the end of the war.

The sensibility of Marsh’s recommendation

The sensibilities of Marsh report or recommendations at the time it was produced vary

with opinions of variant scholars. According to Porter (2015), the report provided educational

value in the making of public social policy. The Canadian economic planners needed ideas on

the best measures that could help stabilize the economy after the end of the war. Marsh report,

therefore, acted as an eye-opener to the government planners in the sense that it augmented

social concerns that surfaced during the war. For instance, the rate of unemployment realized

during the war and after the Great Depression became unbearable, which devastated the

economy. Notably, it was in the interest of the government to secure the economy by first

considering the creation of jobs to the jobless. The far-reaching results of the proposal

manifested in the Green Book recommendations presented to the Federal provincial conference

of 1945. The Green Book proposal highlighted the disparities in income earning among the

unemployed, which in tandem with the marsh report. Although the plan was rejected because of

financial disagreements between the Federal and Provincial governments, its influence shaped

social reconstruction in Canada.

Marsh’s report sets out comprehensive security systems that addressed the conditions of

vulnerable people in Canadian communities. These contributions cannot be underestimated

because they focused on poverty eradication. At the time of its production, the high levels of

income disparity among the poor were evident. As such, Marsh noted that integrating social

security measures would ameliorate the economic challenges among vulnerable people. Finkel

(2006) argues that the report provided important social security programs that targeted
RESEARCH ON LEONARD MARSH’S REPORT OF 1943 5

fundamental issues of the time. The bare minimum set out in the proposal influenced the

inclusion of unemployment insurance in the Canadian government. Older people could then get

paid through the program as well as maternity leave. The adversely affected communities were

scheduled in the program to cater to the employment risks of the time. The fruits of the report

are overwhelming in the management of universal risks such as the health of the community and

persons with permanent disabilities. The report supplemented the eradication of these challenges

in the economy because it foreshadowed the goodness of inclusivity among vulnerable

communities. The children allowance proposed in the report became a reality by 1945 alongside

the age pension. Altogether, the report was beneficial to the Canadian communities’ especially

vulnerable societies hit by economic constraints. It provided collective programs that led paved

the way for comprehensive social security to the Canadians at a time when it was necessary.

Postwar was inevitable; thus, a report that hinted the government on social security and welfare

of the people was of the essence.

The worry for the future

The report raised fundamental concerns about gendered state, especially in the political,

social, and economic sector. The most heightened worry involved the position and role of

women in Canadian democracy. Porter (2003) argues that the welfare and economy of Canada

during the post-war was purely gendered. The social welfare of women during and after the war

presented a challenge in the future of women representation. In context, women were entitled as

domestic subjects who took care of their houses and husbands. Likewise, the economy regarded

men as the primary breadwinners while downgrading women to housewives. The revolutionary

idea about women engagement in the nation building thus triggered the debate on the future

welfare of the women. Mostly, women representation in the Unemployment Insurance (UI) and
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their participation in social affairs after World War attracted economic planners. In this view, the

government needs to address the issue because it affected the planning trajectories for the future.

Although the context of scholars differs, Porter argues that without fixing gendered issues, the

government would appear partial.

As such, Marsh recommends a controversial opinion that in the end would discriminate

women social and security welfare. According to Marsh (2018), the welfare of women in social

security comprised the least factor in economic reconstruction in Canada. Marsh argues that

women depend on their husbands who are protected by the social welfare enshrined in the UI. In

the proposal, Porter (2015) suggests that “A woman was to be covered primarily in her capacity

as a housewife” (39). However, it is essential to note that women contributed to the economic

growth of Canada during and after the war. Altogether, the gendered ideal presented in the report

indicated vitality and susceptibility of women in social security such as employment. Women

were regarded as housewives, yet they stood an equal chance in the Canadian labor economy.

According to Porter (2015), the onset of the post and during World War 2 saw a tremendous

increase in women in labor force from 24.4% to 33.5% in 1944. Marsh having understood the

conditions bestowed upon women in the pre War, introduced them in UI. The directive here was

to protect women as dependants and beneficiaries of the old age pension and wage earning.

The federal government, on the other side, was faced with the challenges of disengaging

the married women from the labor force. The strategies used in the exclusion of women included

the imposition of high taxes, stoppage of daycare services, and enhancement of women course.

These are the challenges that worried the future of women in the labor industry because they

induced gendered occupations.

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Political party and the reflection of the report

The Liberal Party of Canada under the leadership of King William Lyon Mackenzie was

in power at the time of Marsh report. The King commissioned the reconstructing committee led

by Leonard Marsh to research social security of the Canadians after the war. Factually, Leonard

Marsh was well vast in social welfare issues following his frequent studies on the subject in

McGill University. King William Lyon had no idea about social security, but he was intrigued to

focus on the matter because of the economic crises among Canadian communities. As a matter

of concern, Marsh reacted proactively and compiled a report that has been since named after

him. In this report, Marsh sets out unique findings that reflected uniquely on the leadership of the

Liberal Party of Canada. However, despite the efforts of Marsh to consolidate the plan, the party

rejected the recommendation partially. In the view of the Liberal party, the report was expensive

and would cost the government. Finkel (2006) mention that liberal party claimed that the report

would not only burden the economy but also formed failed to meet the threshold for help. The

federal government saw poverty as a lesser threat citing that it was individual and family wish

and not the government making.

Progressively, the leadership failed to accept the plea of the report and introduced

Unemployment Insurance. In as much as the report faced rejection, it influenced the planning

process. Marsh (2018) mentioned that “the basic answer to unemployment is employment” (77).

The report provided leverage to the health insurance, family allowance, and pensions which the

sitting government at the time failed to consider. The report was rejected, yet its content inspired

the integrations of social security in Canada. In respect to the report, Marsh argued that

employment and social insurance comprised the significant challenges that the party needed to

focus synergy. The report suggested the need for collective pooling in resource management to
RESEARCH ON LEONARD MARSH’S REPORT OF 1943 8

assist the poor from their economic constraints. In as much as the report sensitized the urgency

of helping the poor, the liberal party did not appreciate its content.

Impact of the report on the lives of Canadians

The Marsh report remains a fundamental guide and influencer in the Canadian economy.

It has steered reforms in the social security sector that has seen the country reach austerity. The

concept of Marsh report has been in practice in the health sector, employment, and democracy.

Today, Canadians are enjoying fruits of Universal healthcare that covers the health of children,

adults, and elderly (George, 2018). In a broader context, every province in Canada has a

designated healthcare program for the residents. On the other hand, the rate of employment has

increased over the years because the government keeps expanding the labor market.

Most importantly, thousands of women have enjoined in the labor market today

compared to the days of Leonard Marsh. There is over 30% of women in senior management

positions, plus approximately 48% in the specialized occupations (Porter, 2015). This means that

Marsh view on women as housewives has transformed on the positive because they form part of

the economic pool. Therefore, the report still influences the expansion of the economy. There is a

possibility of lending money to needy students or education loans to enhance student education.

The government can assist facilitate investment by listening to the opinions of Canadians on

matters development. The Marsh report not only influenced social security but also encouraged

innovations in economic planning.

In conclusion, the Marsh report of 1943 has seen the Canadian economy progress step by

step. Although the sitting Liberal party rejected the report, it induced economic plans and

strategies worth recognizing. The report surfaced in the reconstruction of social security

following economic constraints. These constraints emanated from World War II and the Great
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Depression. Thus, it necessitated the government to make inquiries from experts such as Leonard

Marsh who expressed his comprehensive findings. The findings were sensitive because they

addressed the exact situations on the ground. The low-income families affected by the economic

crises needed help from the government to improve their livelihood. As such, the government

initiated the recommendations of Marsh that set out the UI, health insurance, and pension plans

to the aged. Although the worries such as unemployment rates reduced after time, the situation

was worse before. Women gained access to the labor sector despite the refusal of King William

Lyon Mackenzie to accept them as income earners. Today, the report impacts the labor sector in

different ways. Women remain competitive in the building of the nation because they occupy

positions previously set aside for men. The economy has changed, and social security has

improved across the provinces of Canada.

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References

Finkel, A. (2006). Social policy and practice in Canada: A history. Wilfrid Laurier Univ. Press.

George, V. (2018). Social security: Beveridge and after. Routledge.

Marsh, L. (2018). Report on Social Security for Canada: New Edition (Vol. 244). McGill-

Queen's Press-MQUP.

Porter, A. (2003). Gendered States: Women, unemployment insurance, and the political economy

of the welfare state in Canada, 1945-1997 (Vol. 17). University of Toronto Press.

Porter, A. (2015). Austerity, social program restructuring, and the erosion of democracy:

Examining the 2012 Employment Insurance reforms. Canadian Review of Social Policy,

(71), 21.