In 1935, Canadians went to the polls against a backdrop of the Great Depression and deteriorating international conditions. This election was like no other, as five major parties competed for voters who were used to a traditional slate of Liberals versus Conservatives. King and Chaos examines the issues, personalities, and significance of this turning point in Canadian political history.

More than anything else, the election was a referendum on Conservative prime minister R.B. Bennett, whose name had become synonymous with hard times. As his government and his party splintered under the weight of outdated Tory policies, the opposition Liberals watched the destruction. Meanwhile, the newly minted Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, Social Credit Party, and Reconstruction Party broadened the electoral base, bringing working-class Canadians – and working-class issues – more directly into the political process.

Although Canadians ultimately chose the familiar, sweeping Liberal William Lyon Mackenzie King back to power on a surprisingly commonplace platform, King and Chaos demonstrates that the advent of third parties permanently changed the political landscape. And while other countries turned to dictators and demagogues, King delivered a less radical but equally important change: an effective electoral machine and a national coalition comprising the two major linguistic groups that dominated Canadian politics for the next generation.