Canada’s most important Prime Minister of the twentieth century?

A review of Allan Levine’s “King” (2021)

Cover of Allan Levine’s “King: William Lyon Mackenzie King: A Life Guided by the Hand of Destiny”

Levine, A. (2012).  King: William Lyon Mackenzie King: A Life Guided by the Hand of Destiny.  Douglas & McIntyre.  515 pages.

Overview

When thinking of notable Canadian Prime Ministers, the first to come to mind is likely John A. Macdonald, Canada’s founding father.  Rarely do we hear the name William Lyon Mackenzie King (17 December 1874 - 22 July 1950).  But he’s on the fifty-dollar bill, so he must be important. 

Allan Levine, an award-winning Canadian writer, is the author of “King: William Lyon Mackenzie King: A Life Guided by the Hand of Destiny” (2021).  The book is about the life and times of King, Canada’s longest-serving Prime Minister and leader during the Second World War, arguably the most important man in the first half of twentieth-century Canada.

Levine does an exceptional job delving into the details of King’s character; his ambitions, strengths, shortcomings, accomplishments, and failures, all while tying the significance of his life and actions to Canada’s shaping in the early to mid-twentieth century.  Levine writes the purpose of the book is to make “sense of the deep and often moving inner conflicts that haunted King, his quirks and his incredible ability to conquer and control his own fate” (p. 18).

Levine delivers on this goal, expertly relying on copious amounts of primary evidence, such as King’s diary entries and the opinions of his closest confidants.  This highly acclaimed book won the Alexander Kennedy Isbister Award for Non-Fiction.  I would argue it ought to be mandatory reading for all Canadians, Americans, and Brits; it would be awful to forget Canada’s contributions during the Second World War, in particular. 

For this review, I hope to describe King’s personality and explore examples of his leadership so that readers can learn and use the information to enrich their own lives, if helpful.  I do not enjoy reading pop-psychology self-help books since they are all too similar; reading one means reading all of them.  This is why I read autobiographies, biographies, and memoirs.

What was WLMK’s personality?

William Lyon Mackenzie King was many things.  He was obsessive but also displayed moments of warmth and affection (p. 11).  He was also indecisive, one day wanting to be a minister, the next an academic, lawyer, or politician (p. 36).  Allan Levine says King is the textbook case for a passive-aggressive male (p. 10). 

He had a deep connection with his mother, which may explain why he remained a bachelor and grew more recluse (p. 33-36).  It may be uncomfortable for some to learn, but Levine notes that King not having a wife or child may explain why he was able to persist and dedicate more time and energy to his work, allowing him to last so long in Parliament (p. 406), so far, longer than any other Canadian Prime Minister. 

He was a natural intellectual, perfectly content sitting at home reading books and writing – Oh, God, the similarities.  He did not like small talk or late evenings, but he possessed the necessary amount of social acumen and ambition to force himself to balls and galas to mingle with Ottawa’s high society (p. 72).  Future politicians and CEOs, take note: you cannot climb the ladder without the necessary help and connections.

King earned his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1909, though untastefully by today’s standards, his dissertation argues against Asian immigration (p. 75-77).  King is, as of writing, the only Canadian Prime Minister to have earned a Ph.D.

King was also deeply spiritual and religious despite his intellectual prowess, believing in the mystic and unknown.  His obsession with quirky, scientifically ungrounded practices like palm-reading, fortuning-telling, and dream interpretation may have been his means of coping with so much personal tragedy; he lost four family members between 1915 and 1922 (p. 4).

He maintained these practices even as he grew older and when as Prime Minister but was always secretive about his spiritual affairs; no God-fearing Christian man in public office would ever dare have this information known widely.  Hilariously, he even saw an image of a swan similar to Richard Wagner’s “The Siegfried Idyll” in his shaving cream when grooming, believing it was a sign that Hitler, like the character, seeks death (p. 298); clearly, King was onto something. 

However, as the author notes, King was not unique for his time.  Many Christians questioned Biblical doctrine following the First World War.  It simply did not make sense for civilized Christian nations to kill each other so ruthlessly and senselessly (p. 248-250).  It demonstrates how when times are tough, even the best of us will turn to illogical practices and beliefs if they bring closure.

King, though highly insecure, still thought highly of himself and his abilities and would walk with swagger in public.  He genuinely wanted to improve the world (p. 73-74).  King also did his best to improve himself, even if it meant habitually reading self-help literature like Mary Tileston’s “Daily Strength for Daily Needs” (1884) (p. 167).  Some may derisively mock him, but at least he was practicing what he preached.  His actions perfectly aligned with numbers nine and ten of his personal twelve commandments: nine, “Seek to live a better life every day,” and ten, “Do not waste Time.  ‘Be up and doing’” (p. 17).  Not all of us are world leaders, but we can all relate to King on some level, especially in this respect, in this age of wellness and positive affirmations.

What are some key leadership lessons from King’s life?

Below I share five key leadership lessons gleaned from this book.  Of course, there are many other lessons, but you will need to read the book to learn them.

Reason is greater than force.  When he was Minister of Labour, King successfully led the adoption of the Industrial Disputes Investigation Act in March 1907, making him a thought pioneer for labour relations in Canada and the world.  The Act allowed governments to investigate labour practices, banned strikes for public utilities during investigations, and allowed “cooling-off periods” between bargainers (p. 71).  It was an important milestone setting the foundations of some of Canada’s future labour reforms.  What was his approach?  King believed that successful negotiations required sensitivity to the needs of both sides and that there was a need to appeal “to reason rather than force” (p. 69).  Even if you do not work in government, negotiating from such a basis is a logical approach.  A caveat is that it might only work when the parties are willing to listen; he got lucky in this respect, but his intelligent approach paid off.

Treat others well and listen to their concerns when resolving conflicts.  King handled adversity immensely well when in June 1914, his Harvard friend, Rockefeller Jr., contracted him to manage the Rockefeller Foundation’s unfolding crisis with the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) (p. 88-91).  King was tactful and provided winning advice because he instilled trust between the parties.  He gave interviews to anti-Rockefeller publications, had staunch anti-union executives fired, socialized with and partook in job-related activities to demonstrate his sincerity and understanding with the workers, and allowed employee representation to reduce the UMWA’s influence (p. 94-95).  One of the results of his efforts was that miners were then able to “elect representatives to a joint management-worker board” (p. 95), which was revolutionary for its time.  Rockefeller, years later, admitted that he was merely a mouthpiece while King the mastermind (p. 96).  American big business hailed King for his tactfulness and skill.

The story demonstrates a few salient points still applicable to today’s conflict resolution.  One, connections matter, and they are vital during times of need.  King was unemployed when Rockefeller Junior Jr. contacted him, and Rockefeller Jr. desperately needed help.  Second, leaders must make a genuine effort (or at least be perceived as creating a sincere effort) at understanding the needs and concerns of the distressed if they wish to maintain their power.  On a personal note, King’s handling of the affair may have been because he believed “class conflict could be effectively reduced ‘through rational investigation, the accumulation of knowledge, and improved personal relations’” (p. 105).  According to Levine, this illustrates how King was well ahead of his time, considering how these principles in industrial-organizational are now highly regarded. 

Be bold and make your intentions clear.  During the Imperial Conference of 1926 between Commonwealth countries, General J.B.M. “Barry” Hertzog of South Africa demanded independence.  King was uncomfortable with the term “independence” because he associated it with American-style revolution.  He felt Canada ought to be autonomous but still loyal to the Empire when necessary (p. 173-174).  He was hailed for his statesmanship at the conference because he brokered a middle-way deal with a record Balfour Declaration, which united Commonwealth nations as equals between themselves but under the Crown (p. 175).  It was a significant improvement for Canada’s autonomy, even though Canada still legally required Britain for constitutional amendments.  It was also an improvement from three years earlier at the London Conference in 1923 when King ambiguously asserted that Canada should not be drawn into unconditional intervention or isolation.  He wanted Canada to have a greater say, but many from the Commonwealth pressured and accused him of attempting to break up the Empire; Canadians were split on the matter (p. 134-136). 

These passages illustrate several unique insights.  It is essential to understand what is necessary and be unafraid to voice one’s opinion.  You may experience ridicule, but it’s necessary to remain persistent.  And even if you initially do poorly, like King in 1923, you can always improve later, even if it takes a few years.  Moreover, you do not have to accomplish difficult things by yourself.  King’s success is partly attributed to his competent advisors, notably Ernest Lapointe and Oscar Skelton (p. 175-176).  Friends and close, brilliant colleagues can make all the difference in one’s abilities and outcomes.  No matter what you do for a living, at some point, you will likely need to rely on the efforts and contributions of others.

Do not become arrogant, lazy, or hurtful.  King, like everyone else, had moments where he was unwise.  When the stock market crashed on 29 October 1929, King was narcissistic and foolish when questioned about what he would do about high unemployment.  He insisted that the situation was better than it seemed and that the federal government had other, more prescient priorities than unemployment assistance.  It was incredibly hypocritical because he argued for unemployment assistance in his Ph.D. thesis, which critics pointed out (p. 193-194).  Additionally, when campaigning in Edmonton, he claimed some are unemployed because they do not want to work.  He even called one heckler a “slacker” (p. 199).  He was also vacationing in Bermuda in April 1930, in the middle of an economic depression, while his Conservative opponent R.B. Bennett was campaigning across the country (p. 197-198).  King’s actions did not work in his favour, and he lost the election to Bennett on 7 August 1930. 

So, what are the lessons?  For one, do not become arrogant and cocky from any previously held power.  Second, be careful when judging others for their misfortunate circumstances since it is nearly impossible to comprehensively understand someone’s situation, especially when many are suffering similar fates.  Life happens, and there are often factors beyond our control, such as a market crash.  It would be nearly impossible for anyone to have complete control over their lives, regardless of their intelligence, work ethic, or fiscal prudence.  Lastly, do not rest on your laurels when work is to be done.  Vacationing in Bermuda should not have been an option, something that King would self-flagellate about when he returned, believing he enjoyed too much leisure, food, and drink (p. 198).  Evidently, we can all learn important lessons during our lowest times.

It is essential to remain ideologically flexible, even for a politician.  Levine explains how part of King’s electoral success was because of his ideological flexibility, which can be interpreted as opportunism depending on one’s view (p. 407).  Levine cites how King would stock the Senate with devout partisans and how his understanding of regional politics ensured his party’s long-term success.  But another excellent example of King’s flexibility, it could be argued, is the passing of the 1940 Unemployment Insurance Act.  It was not very expansive for social welfare reform by today’s standards, but it improved Canadians’ livelihoods.  King was increasingly surrounded by left-leaning and progressive voices encouraging greater welfare (p. 343), including Ian Mackenzie, Brooke Claxton, and Jack Pickersgill.  Voters did not want to return to depression-era joblessness, so they expected more government involvement to maintain people’s wellbeing (p. 344-345).  Though he was a liberal at heart, skeptical of Keynesian economic doctrine (p. 273), King was smart enough to listen to his “ministers, advisers and bureaucracy” (p. 407), ultimately laying the foundations for Canada’s welfare state today.  Those foundations were later dramatically expanded by Lester B. Pearson in the 1960s. 

Adaptability is crucial in any organization, business, or government.  It is unwise to let preconceived notions or ideologies cloud one’s judgement when there are solid cases for alternative ideas and approaches.  Canadians have King to thank for his flexibility.

A quick note on King’s workstyle

It is important to reiterate that no one is perfect, including the highly accomplished and intelligent William Lyon Mackenzie King.  Despite the valuable leadership lessons explored above, many agreed that working under King in the Prime Minister’s Office was difficult.  He meticulously edited all speeches to the last minute (p. 261), set almost impossible expectations and was easily angered if work was performed incorrectly or poorly.  He rarely praised or complimented his staff and was usually indifferent to people’s personal lives and family obligations; he felt they ought to be at his beck and call twenty-four hours of the day.  He did, however, occasionally display warmth in private.  Some may sympathize with King since he was getting old in the late 1930s and early 1940s and because there were far more pressing matters, such as the Second World War.  Tough times call for tough measures.  But King was like this even before WWII, explains Allan Levine (p. 265).  It is not easy to be a leader, but leadership does not necessarily mean it’s justified to treat subordinates with invective.

Other fascinating topics explored in the book

Even if you are uninterested in learning about William Lyon Mackenzie King, readers will be delighted to learn more about Canada from the early to mid-twentieth century, a crucial time characterized by rapid technological change, politics, and attitudes. 

Here are just some key events and themes Allan Levine explores:

• The 1926 Canadian constitutional crisis, known as the King-Byng affair (chapter five).

• King’s handling of federal-provincial relations (p. 184-187), which is helpful to any student of politics or government policy and administration.

• The Beauharnois Scandal and its investigation (start of chapter seven); every politician and party needs a scandal – otherwise, their job would be boring.

• The advent of the radio and the accompanying populist orators in 1930s Canada (p. 222-224); the parallels to today’s information communications technology and political disaffection, hostility, and partisanship are profound.

• King’s relations with the United States and Franklin Delano Roosevelt (p. 273-274).

• King’s and Canada’s embarrassing failure, relative to other countries, to accept more Jews after the Second World War (p. 291-295).

• The meaning of the “Hand of Destiny” (p. 313-314).

Who should read this book?

Many will find this book inspiring.  Allan Levine is a skillful storyteller, illuminating readers with the inner workings of WLMK’s mind, making his life story relatable and understandable for our age. 

Like the rest of us, King was not perfect.  His speeches were longwinded and abstract.  Newspapers thought poorly of him and doubted his abilities (p. 111-113).  He was selfish with his lady friends (p. 121), worked his subordinates painfully hard and suffered an inferiority complex (p. 341-342).  But he remains one of Canada’s most influential Prime Ministers during a critical historical juncture.

Had it not been for his resolute support for Britain, geopolitics in the twentieth century’s latter half would have been hugely different; we may even be speaking German.

Read this book and learn about King for yourself.  Learn how he handled immense pressure and shaped Canada.  You may not need to manage a world war – and hopefully, that will not be necessary anytime soon – but the lessons in this book are sure to last several lifetimes.