Book Review

Canada and the United States

Attempts to improve agricultural methods and products in central Canada date almost from the start of the invasion of English-speaking settlers into the region. Beginning with agricultural societies, these efforts soon adopted exhibitions as a supposedly effective tool. Designed to teach better agricultural methods through competition and display, exhibitions quickly grew in popularity and eventually mushroomed into large international showcases. In her closely argued, exhaustively researched work, E. A. Heaman claims that exhibitions reflected the nineteenth century's obsession with economic progress and the belief that material and cultural advancement could be gained through competition and education. Citing John Stuart Mill, Heaman posits that Victorians believed advances in knowledge preceded all significant physical improvements. Furthermore, organizers designed their exhibitions on the assumption that visual displays were better than words. By arranging artifacts in order, they thought, learning would happen.

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The altruistic objectives of exhibitions—encouraging rational and critical activity, facilitating improved methods and products through competition—were marred, Heaman contends, by a naïve belief in the ultimate good of capitalism, advertising, and the profit motive. Not only did exhibitions disseminate upper-class values, but they appealed to covetousness, jealousy, and materialism. The fact that exhibitions were also about money, power, knowledge, and influence meant that they became very different institutions than their founders intended. By appealing to greater public participation, by advertising and providing popular entertainment, the exhibitions became increasingly frivolous and debased.

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