Social Democrats of the North: École Sociale Populaire

Social Democrats of the North: École Sociale Populaire

From Perspectives: A Canadian Journal of Political Economy and Social Democracy by Broadbent Institute

April 7, 2026 · 24 min · Season 1 · Episode 11

About this episode

This episode explores the Catholic roots of Quebec's social democratic tradition and the impact of L’École Sociale Populaire on Quebec politics.

Learn about the unique Catholic roots of Quebec's social democratic tradition. While Quebec's social democratic tradition is often traced back to the Quiet Revolution of the 1960s, the province's left-wing roots are planted deeper than that. This episode examines the Catholic roots of social democracy surrounding L’École Sociale Populaire. This socially-driven organization of Jesuit priests had a dramatic effect on Quebec politics during the 1930s, revealing Quebec social democracy to be a ge...

Topics covered

  • social democracy
  • Quebec politics
  • Catholic roots
  • historical analysis
  • left-wing movements

Keywords

  • social democracy
  • Quebec
  • Catholic roots
  • École Sociale Populaire
  • Quiet Revolution
  • Jesuit priests
  • 1930s politics

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: École Sociale Populaire, Jesuit priests

Places: Quebec

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