Technocracy in Edmonton, 1930s, by John Gregory

The dirty thirties, unemployment, relief, hunger marches – The Great Depression. Why this state of affairs? What has happened to our economy?


In 1933, a group of scientists and other notables at Columbia University concluded a fourteen year study under the direction of Howard Scott. Their basic conclusion was that with increasing mechanization of production, the ways and salaries derived from their manufacture was becoming insufficient to buy back the products leading to a progressive instability in the social structure. They then proceeded to design a social operation to satisfy this new reality. In place of the price or money system, the purchasing power would be effected by means of individually allocated, non-transferable credit of energy units as a matter of right of citizenship.


This social design was termed Technocracy and to publicize the concept, an organization, Technocracy Incorporated, was formed with Howard Scott as Director-in-Chief. It is a non-political, non-sectarian, non-profit organization for the purpose of research, education, and dissemination of this body of thought.


In 1935, Howard Scott made his first continental tour to publicize the concept and design of Technocracy. In Edmonton, the meeting was sponsored by the daily Edmonton Bulletin and it filled the Empire Theatre to capacity. Sufficient members signed up to form a section. Subsequent continental tours were made by Jonathan F. Glendon in 1935 and by Howard Scott in 1937 and 1939. All these meetings drew full houses in the Empire Theatre.


The first section headquarters was the old Eaton’s building at 101 street and 102 avenue. Later the section occupied the entire lower floor of the Dominion Building opposite the MacDonald Hotel. The activities including public lectures, study courses, publications and social events. Captain George Koe, an accomplished speaker and prolific writer, was the prime mover. The section published a monthly bulletin – The Northern Technocrat. (The Calgary section published The Foothills Technocrat).


In 1976, the Edmonton members opened a store-front office on the main level of the Hub Mall at the University of Alberta. Hundreds of students and many faculty members were exposed to the displays and literature daily. Weekly presentations were made in the adjacent meeting rooms. At the request of some professions, presentations were made to their classes. Students joined the organization and took the knowledge with them to their subsequent destinations. In 1983, the University of Alberta took over the Hub Mall from the Students’ Union and converted the main floor to exclusively commercial occupancy. Technocracy was requested to vacate their premises because it was an education organization and not a business.


Technocracy presently has an office in the main Edmonton Public Library and holds meetings and presentations twice weekly in the adjoining meeting rooms. Membership ranges from old timers who joined the organization in the 1930’s to young computer specialists. Information and literature are available on the Internet.


The technological and economic factors that led to the studies that culminated in the concept of Technocracy are not only still relevant, but are ever increasing in intensity. But to quote Howard Scott, “Never in history has a country been so unprepared for what it has to face.”