A Living Profit: Studies in the Social History of Canadian Business, 1883-1911

by Michael Bliss

From corner grocer's to railway presidents, this ground-breaking volume examines the collective thought of the turn-of-the-century business community during a critical period in the development of Canadian industry. In this provocative and controversial study, the author views businessmen as a social group and presents a highly original treatment of their attitudes and actions towards each other, their workers, and government.

160 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1974

About the author

Michael Bliss was a Canadian historian. He was an Officer of the Order of Canada, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, and a member of the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame.

Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Kristine Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this little book summarizing the thought and ideas of the business community at the turn of the 20th century fascinating. Analyzing and pulling from the financial journals of the day, historian Michael Bliss, exposes the often contradictory and hypocrisy behind Toronto's conservative business leader class. And (un)surprisingly, not many of these ideas have changed. The belief that the business community gets a raw deal despite its huge influence on various levels of government; that "other" groups are out to get something for nothing; and the continued belief that those who succeed are those who work hard, comes from a long history of ignoring social barriers and the advantageous effects of their own privilege.

Bliss is careful not to equate idea and thought with actual business reality; he suggests thought that studying business ideologies is not so much identifying to what extent the ideas mirrored reality, but instead gives insight into the implications of the cast of mind common among businessmen of that period. Helpful to anyone researching and studying businesses and their owners during this time period.