"The Politics of Development reveals the full extent of state involvement in the exploitation of Ontario's natural resources and the reciprocal impact that resource development has had in shaping politics in the province. H.V. Nelles exposes the politics at the heart of economic development in central Canada and explains the business history of the forestry and mining industries from the mid-nineteenth through the mid-twentieth century, stressing the importance of public policy. He provides the definitive interpretation of the emergence, development, and political dynamics of public ownership in the hydro-electric sector." "This work, first published in 1974, continues to be relevant to historians, political scientists, economists, and those interested in environmental history."--Jacket.