Editing R. B. Bennett (section)

==Legacy and assessments==
Textbooks typically portray Bennett as a hard-driving capitalist, pushing for American-style high tariffs and British-style imperialism, while ignoring his reform efforts.<ref>Larry A. Glassford, ''Reaction and Reform: The Politics of the Conservative Party under R.B. Bennett, 1927–1938'' (1992)</ref>

Bennett took note of and encouraged the young [[Lester Pearson]] in the early 1930s, and appointed Pearson to significant roles on two major government inquiries: the 1931 Royal Commission on Grain Futures, and the 1934 Royal Commission on Price Spreads. Bennett saw that Pearson was recognized with an [[Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire|OBE]] after he shone in that work, arranged a bonus of $1,800, and invited him to a London conference.<ref name="English89" /> Former prime minister [[John Turner]], who as a child, knew Bennett while he was prime minister, praised Bennett's promotion of Turner's [[economist]] mother to the highest civil service post held by a Canadian woman to that time.<ref>''The Authentic Voice of Canada'', by Christopher McCreery and Arthur Milnes (editors), McGill – Queen's University Press, [[Kingston, Ontario]], 2009, p. xiv.</ref>

===Criticisms===

Most historians consider his premiership to have been a failure at a time of severe economic crisis.<ref>Larry Glassford, "Review of Boyko, John, Bennett: The Rebel Who Challenged and Changed a Nation."  Boyko says he was a success.</ref> [[H. Blair Neatby]] says categorically that "as a politician, he was a failure".<ref>[[H. Blair Neatby]], ''The Politics of Chaos: Canada in the Thirties'' (Toronto: Macmillan, 1972), p 53.</ref> [[Jack Granatstein]] and [[Norman Hillmer]], comparing him to all other Canadian prime ministers concluded, "Bennett utterly failed as a leader. Everyone was alienated by the end—Cabinet, caucus, party, voter and foreigner."<ref>J. L. Granatstein and Norman Hillmer, ''Prime Ministers: Ranking Canada's Leaders'' (Toronto: HarperCollins, 1999), p 113.</ref>

Bennett was ranked #12 by a survey of Canadian historians out of the then 20 Prime Ministers of Canada through [[Jean Chrétien]]. The results of the survey were included in the book ''Prime Ministers: Ranking Canada's Leaders'' by [[J. L. Granatstein]] and [[Norman Hillmer]].

A 2001 book by [[Quebec separatism|Quebec nationalist]] writer [[Normand Lester]], ''[[Le Livre noir du Canada anglais]]'' (later translated as ''The Black Book of English Canada'') accused Bennett of having a political affiliation with, and of having provided financial support to, [[fascism|fascist]] Quebec writer [[Adrien Arcand]]. This is based on a series of letters sent to Bennett following his election as prime minister by Arcand, his colleague Ménard and two Conservative caucus members asking for financial support for Arcand's antisemitic newspaper ''[[Le Goglu]]''.<ref>Lester, Normand (2001) ''Le Livre noir du Canada anglais''; Montreal: Les Éditions des Intouchables, p.255. The letter is conserved at the National Archives of Canada in Ottawa. A photocopy can be found at the archives of the Canadian Jewish Council in Montreal, under P0005 ARCAND, Adrien (collection).</ref>