TITLE: Strikes as a Political Weapon of the Proletariat: The Canadian Case

Within the confines of. this thesis ' a ·theory of cap-italism and the state apparatus is · related to the class struggle by ·an analysis and scienti-ficinvestigation of work st.oppages 0 The intensity as well as the ',geographic p indus~ trial, and historical context ox strikes is examined in the bi-national political economy of Canada. 'Theoverall pat-·terns of strikes,:.the · economic and political sett,lngs in which · they 'ar ~ generated and~esolved, are examined, as are t.he effects ' of. stri.kes on society. in Canada •.- ~-.,:.. lrI " al,-lthi.:s thes:i..:s.'.is;--:. ':i:;.he ·.pres·EHJ,tatio.:rr ·of. a theory of class-t...ra-nsfo:r:m.ations-:t'P': ~':he', bi=na:tionalpolitical economy of Canada. ·:.-It ~ ~is at1J,eb'ry: of-.capital. accumul:at.ion as class struggle. iii:AC.KNOWLEDGEMENTS.. I wO]Uldl.i.ke.: tQ;express.my gratitude:to the many p.e.ople who have helped me- compl-et.e this project.. In particu-lar I wan ~ to'. th.ank my thesis advisor f Marshall Goldstein, for his pati.ence and. many. he.:J,pful insights o. Secondly, I wan·t to ackno.wl.edge my: debt to. Wa.,llaceClement and Derry Novak for the'ir assistance during the course of. this work. Thirdly, I wish t? extend my gratitude to Carl Cuneo; Dusky Lee Smith and Cyril. Levitt for ·their critical conunents and sugg"estions during the course o.f this. \'lork,;. Fourthly.o I, wish to thank my;fellow..students in, So.c.ial·, · Iileqiuali,ty. in ' ean~.da 0 Social Theory:, and Political System Change and · Al·ternatives for their supportiveness c1urin€f the 1978~1979 academic yearo Fifthly? I would ·like to express.my appreciation to. Eva Guzewski, my companion; for discussing and encouraging this work. Finally,.r WQuld like to express my gratitude to Darlene Jones and Marlene Moore for typing the final copy of this thesiso. McMas.ter, · Dnivers i t