Staples thesis

In economic development, the staples thesis is a theory of export-led growth. The theory "has its origins in research into Canadian social, political, and economic history carried out in Canadian universities ... by members of what were then known as departments of political economy." Of these groups of researchers, "the two most prominent scholars following this approach were Harold Innis and W.A. Mackintosh."

Thesis

The thesis explains Canadian economic development in terms of a lateral, east-west organization of trade. Innis argued that Canada developed as it did because of the nature of its staple commodities: raw materials, such as fish, fur, lumber, agricultural products, and minerals, that were exported to Britain and the West Indies. This trading link cemented Canada's cultural links to Britain. The search for and exploitation of these staples led to the creation of institutions that defined the political culture of the nation and its regions.

Innis argues that different staples led to the emergence of distinct regional economies (and societies) within Canada. For instance, the staple commodity in Atlantic Canada was cod. This industry was very decentralized but also very co-operative. In western Canada, the central staple was wheat.