Leonard Marsh
Encyclopedia
Leonard Charles Marsh was a social scientist
and professor
.
and graduated from the London School of Economics
in 1928. After graduation, he studied wages and housing and conducted research for Sir William Beveridge.
Marsh moved to Canada
in 1930, after being hired as a Director of Social Research at McGill University
. McGill was taking part in two American-funded research projects at the time, the Canadian Frontiers of Settlement Project and the Social Science Research Project. Marsh was hired through a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation
and named project director for the SSRP. While Director, Marsh published several books on employment in Canada, including Health and Unemployment in 1938. The pivotal text to emerge from Marsh's role as project director was Canadians In and Out of Work; A Survey of Economic Classes and Their Relation to the Labour Market in 1940.
Canadians In and Out of Work was one of the first significant works to analyse class in Canada and remained the most comprehensive study of the subject until John Porter
's release of The Vertical Mosaic. The work was not well-received by the business community. Marsh and the Social Science Research Project proved to be an irritant to the university and funders and funding was not renewed when the grant ran out in 1940.
Leonard Marsh went on to be named research director for the Committee on Post-War Reconstruction under chair Frank Cyril James
in 1941. The resulting report, written by Marsh in a single month 1943, Report on Social Security for Canada laid the foundations for the welfare state
in Canada. It is now colloquially known as "The Marsh Report", after Marsh himself. Despite being presented to the committee and subsequently the Mackenzie King government, the report was largely ignored. Some have even postulated that it was a source of embarrassment for the King government.
While largely ignored by the government of the time, Marsh's suggestions (which included but were not limited to unemployment insurance, children's allowances, maternity leave, and government funded health care
) would become key parts of the Canadian welfare state.
Leonard Marsh joined the League for Social Reconstruction
in 1932 and served as president for two terms, 1937–1938 and 1938-1939.
Marsh was welfare adviser to the United Nations
Relief and Rehabilitation Administration from 1944-46.
Marsh was hired by the University of British Columbia
's School of Social Work in 1947. In 1959, he was named Director of Research. Marsh joined Faculty of Education in 1964 as a professor of Educational Sociology. He retired in 1972 and was named Professor Emeritus in 1972.
With the League for Social Reconstruction
Social Scientist
Social Scientist is a New Delhi based journal in social sciences and humanities published since 1972....
and professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
.
Biography
Marsh was born in EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and graduated from the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
in 1928. After graduation, he studied wages and housing and conducted research for Sir William Beveridge.
Marsh moved to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1930, after being hired as a Director of Social Research at McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
. McGill was taking part in two American-funded research projects at the time, the Canadian Frontiers of Settlement Project and the Social Science Research Project. Marsh was hired through a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation
Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation is a prominent philanthropic organization and private foundation based at 420 Fifth Avenue, New York City. The preeminent institution established by the six-generation Rockefeller family, it was founded by John D. Rockefeller , along with his son John D. Rockefeller, Jr...
and named project director for the SSRP. While Director, Marsh published several books on employment in Canada, including Health and Unemployment in 1938. The pivotal text to emerge from Marsh's role as project director was Canadians In and Out of Work; A Survey of Economic Classes and Their Relation to the Labour Market in 1940.
Canadians In and Out of Work was one of the first significant works to analyse class in Canada and remained the most comprehensive study of the subject until John Porter
John Porter (sociologist)
John Arthur Porter was one of Canada's most important sociologists during the period from 1950 to the late 1970s. His work in the field of social stratification opened up new areas of inquiry for many sociologists in Canada.Porter was born in Vancouver and completed his education at the London...
's release of The Vertical Mosaic. The work was not well-received by the business community. Marsh and the Social Science Research Project proved to be an irritant to the university and funders and funding was not renewed when the grant ran out in 1940.
Leonard Marsh went on to be named research director for the Committee on Post-War Reconstruction under chair Frank Cyril James
Frank Cyril James
Frank Cyril James was a Canadian academic and principal of McGill University from 1939 to 1962.-Biography:...
in 1941. The resulting report, written by Marsh in a single month 1943, Report on Social Security for Canada laid the foundations for the welfare state
Welfare state
A welfare state is a "concept of government in which the state plays a key role in the protection and promotion of the economic and social well-being of its citizens. It is based on the principles of equality of opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth, and public responsibility for those...
in Canada. It is now colloquially known as "The Marsh Report", after Marsh himself. Despite being presented to the committee and subsequently the Mackenzie King government, the report was largely ignored. Some have even postulated that it was a source of embarrassment for the King government.
While largely ignored by the government of the time, Marsh's suggestions (which included but were not limited to unemployment insurance, children's allowances, maternity leave, and government funded health care
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
) would become key parts of the Canadian welfare state.
Leonard Marsh joined the League for Social Reconstruction
League for Social Reconstruction
The League for Social Reconstruction was a circle of Canadian socialist intellectuals officially formed in 1932, though it had its beginnings during a camping retreat in 1931. These academics were advocating radical social and economic reforms and political education. Industrialization,...
in 1932 and served as president for two terms, 1937–1938 and 1938-1939.
Marsh was welfare adviser to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Relief and Rehabilitation Administration from 1944-46.
Marsh was hired by the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
's School of Social Work in 1947. In 1959, he was named Director of Research. Marsh joined Faculty of Education in 1964 as a professor of Educational Sociology. He retired in 1972 and was named Professor Emeritus in 1972.
Notable works
- Health and Unemployment: Some Studies of Their Relationships. Published for McGill University by Oxford University Press, 1938.
- Canadians In and Out of Work; A Survey of Economic Classes and Their Relation to the Labour Market. Published for McGill University by the Oxford University Press, 1940.
- Report on social security for Canada. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1943.
- Rebuilding A Neighbourhood; Report on a Deomonstration Slum-Clearance and Urban Rehabilitation Project in a Key Central Area in Vancouver. Vancouver, University of British Columbia, 1950.
- Communities in Canada: Selected Sources. Toronto: McClelland, 1970.
With the League for Social Reconstruction
- League for Social Reconstruction, Research Committee. Social planning for Canada. Toronto: T. Nelson, 1935.
- League for Social Reconstruction, Research Committee. Democracy Needs Socialism. Toronto: T. Nelson, 1938.
External links
- Leonard Marsh at The Canadian EncyclopediaThe Canadian EncyclopediaThe Canadian Encyclopedia is a source of information on Canada. It is available online, at no cost. The Canadian Encyclopedia is available in both English and French and includes some 14,000 articles in each language on a wide variety of subjects including history, popular culture, events, people,...
- UBC Archives on Leonard Marsh