From the archival research already underway, collecting and analyzing Ed’s legacy of intellectual thought and political work, the Broadbent Institute will be publishing select pieces with lessons and implications for present debates and discussions.
With commentary from Luke Savage, Ed’s ideas and work continue to offer lessons and perspectives relevant for 21st century social democracy.
Canadian Socialism against US Domination
In 1967, responding to an open letter calling for an alliance of socialists and liberals to address growing American encroachment in Canada, Ed Broadbent argued forcefully that the two ideologies were committed to ends so radically different that cooperation on the basis of shared nationalism was both incoherent and impossible.
The Socialist Internationalism
of Ed Broadbent
For Ed Broadbent, the rights and norms of the United Nations covenants and declarations represented the practical application and sum value of social democratic principles.
Which Future for Social Democracy?
Ed Broadbent’s rich vision of democratic equality can and should continue to be our compass in this era of uncertainty and crisis. A barren technocratic liberalism may be ill-equipped to carry this out — but democratic socialism can.
Social Democracy without Borders and the Good Society
To be humane, societies must be democratic — and, to be democratic, every person must be afforded the economic and social rights necessary for their individual flourishing.
The Socialist Challenge and Beyond
“Our socialist challenge is to tackle what I have called the economic question. This fundamental question is about economic power, and who will wield it. It is about our national priorities, and who will decide them.”
Seeking Social Democracy: Seven Decades in the Fight for Equality
Part memoir, part history, part political manifesto, Seeking Social Democracy offers the first full-length treatment of Ed Broadbent’s ideas and remarkable seven decade engagement in public life.
Ongoing Archival Research
Archival research continues, with the collection, analysis and digitization of thousands of documents related to Ed’s life, work and intellectual thought.
Examples of materials recovered under this project:
Writings
Hundreds of op-eds, longform essays, book reviews and letters Ed originally published in national and local newspapers and magazines. From political and policy interventions in The Globe and Mail to philosophical debates in Canadian Dimension, bilateral relations in The Los Angeles Times to campus politics as a reporter for the University of Toronto’s The Varsity, the archive spans Ed’s range, voice, and styles.
Correspondence
Countless documents and letters spanning Ed’s time as an academic, MP and leader of the NDP and his tenure as President of Rights and Democracy, including never before seen exchanges with world figures like West German Chancellor Willy Brandt, U.S. President George H.W. Bush, thinkers like C.B. Macpherson, and Canadian luminaries like Tommy Douglas and Pierre Elliott Trudeau.
Theory
Academic lectures delivered and articles written by published in scholarly journals.
Political materials
Texts and videos of important speeches, parliamentary debates, and addresses to the public, including to international leaders, to NDP members, to trade unionists, and beyond (including many never published before); Major policy proposals, notable campaign materials and political memorabilia; Key speeches and materials from Ed’s time at Rights and Democracy and the Socialist International
Photos
Stunning images spanning across Ed’s entire public life, with contributions from his personal collection, and from his long time political photographer, Gayle Harvey.
Video and Audio
Selected video and audio clips from media interviews, news features, campaign events, election debates and much more.
Ongoing archival research will also be used to inform more forthcoming publications on Ed’s life and thought.
The collection, analysis, and digitization of these documents will be made publicly available for other research and education purposes, to continue Ed’s legacy of fighting for ‘The Good Society’ that can be shared with all Canadians and social democrats around the world.