Using data provided by the Institut de la Statistique du Québec for GDP between 1926 to 1981*, I gave the 1926 real GDP per capita a trend of 2 percent annually and compared the 2 percent trend with the observed GDP figures. Considering that I am attempting to test the idea emitted that Quebec was declining mostly between 1926 and 1939 while recovering under the Duplessis years, using the 1926 start point is valid. By all standards, the Duplessis administration did perform better than in the previous period and does not diverge massively from the era of the Quiet Revolution. This a particular feat since recessions in the 1944-1960 have occured more frequently than in the 1960 to 1976 period (3 separate recessions during the Duplessis years against 1 separate one during the Quiet Revolution and one "shared" recession between the two periods).
I maintain my point that the concept of a great darkness is clearly an overblown one and by extension so is the Quiet Revolution. What we should understand is that Quebec was preparing for a huge take-off under Duplessis.
Note:Those figures predate the 1997 historical revision of the National and provincial Accounts by Stat. Can.and therefore, are not compatible with the actual data 1981 to 2010 published by S.C in the Prov. Econ. Accounts. However, for the purposes of this paper, they are sufficient and reliable but to be taken with a degree of caution.
I maintain my point that the concept of a great darkness is clearly an overblown one and by extension so is the Quiet Revolution. What we should understand is that Quebec was preparing for a huge take-off under Duplessis.
Note:Those figures predate the 1997 historical revision of the National and provincial Accounts by Stat. Can.and therefore, are not compatible with the actual data 1981 to 2010 published by S.C in the Prov. Econ. Accounts. However, for the purposes of this paper, they are sufficient and reliable but to be taken with a degree of caution.
