Road to Revolution

Abstract Lower Canadian politics in the 1830s went through several phases of severe radicalization that made a violent confrontation nearly inevitable. The 1834 general election should be considered a crucial moment in this transformation. The plebiscitary nature of the election, the intense mobilization, and fierce campaigning all contributed to a process that led to a revolutionary moment in Lower Canada. Not only was it “closely fought” in some key ridings, but it was also contentious, as the losers considered themselves deprived of their British constitutional rights. The defeated candidates and their allies openly questioned the legitimacy of the newly elected House of Assembly. Conversely, the successful coalition claimed that their crusade for constitutional change toward further democratization of the colony’s political institutions had been vindicated by the electoral victories. The 1834 election confirmed and accelerated the radicalization of both sides that would lead to violent confrontation and a failed revolution.