The article under consideration narrates the development of the debate regarding Canada’s border with the United States. The opinions of people in this respect differed depending on the stance. Some of them considered the British cause essential for the matter, whereas the others based their reflections on geographical reasons explaining the relation of the country to Northern America (Laxer, 2004). Meanwhile, the formation of Canada’s identity was the main decisive factor in this case. The region’s thinkers shaped their perspectives concerning its commercial-communications system’s uniqueness alongside its particular political environment, which implied a more significant difference between the two countries than a border.
Moreover, the specific characteristics of the Canadian experience contrasted with the American conflict of the individual and society including the preference for individualism. In addition, the development of its economy was accompanied by the creation of a more complex web of corporate and state actors in comparison with the United States. In this way, the greater involvement of Canadian citizens in all the areas of societal life was conditional upon the strong ties between institutions underpinned by the significance of individual actions for future prosperity.
The proximity of Canada to the United States resulted in the strengthening of the former’s government. The necessity to eliminate threats stemming from the British connections and the North American expansion contributed to the enhanced development of the country. Besides, the non-interference in war events and other affairs of the United States allowed Canada to preserve its original identity. Thus, the position of the country in many respects became more favorable than the one of its neighbors, and the resistance to the policies of other regions helped ensure the unique patterns of its economic and political development.
Reference
Laxer, J (2004). The border: Canada, the U.S., and dispatches from the 49th parallel. Toronto, Canada: Doubleday Canada.