The Three Questions: Prosperity and the Public Good

H. Graham Rawlinson is co-author of The Canadian 100: The 100 Most
Influential Canadians of the 20th Century.

This is a thoughtful and provocative book by a former Ontario premier
who clearly has much to contribute to public debate. Rae’s reflections
emerge from what has evidently been a personal struggle: how can he
adapt a progressive political philosophy to the modern world of global
markets and dizzying technological change? He approaches this general
question by asking three specific ones: “If I am not for myself, who
is for me?”; “[I]f I am only for myself, then what am I?”; “[I]f
not now, when?” Rae concludes that individualism is a cornerstone of
modern capitalism and democracy, and accordingly, communist and
socialist governments will always fail to do the most good for the most
people.

History is clearly on the author’s side here as he calls for
reforming capitalism to re-emphasize a public good rooted in compassion
and community. Rae draws frequently on his own experience in Canadian
public affairs to suggest how a concern for others might make the
Canadian federation a more just and workable one. Though there is
perhaps not much that is original in The Three Questions, Rae’s
impressive grasp of the great thinkers, insight into Canadian history,
and elegant prose make this an uncommonly wise book.