Why did the Social Credit Party win Alberta’s 1935 election?

The Social Credit Party won the 1935 Alberta provincial election largely due to the severe economic and social devastation caused by the Great Depression. During this period, Alberta faced a dual crisis of economic collapse and prolonged drought, which crippled the province's agricultural base and left many citizens in financial distress.

The party, founded by William Aberhart, gained traction by proposing a new monetary policy based on the theories of Clifford Douglas. This platform promised to remedy the chronic deficiency of purchasing power by issuing "social dividends" to consumers, intended to bridge the gap between production costs and the cost of purchase without dismantling the private enterprise system.123

Voters, disillusioned by the inability of existing governments to cope with the widespread unemployment and poverty, turned to the Social Credit Party as a radical alternative. The party’s victory enabled it to form the world’s first Social Credit government, beginning a 36-year tenure in power in Alberta.13