Do You Have the Time? Modernity, Democracy, and the Beginnings of Daylight Saving Time in Montreal, 1907-1928.

This article looks at the most significant public debate over time in Montreal's history: the beginnings of daylight saving time (1907-1928). Seeing daylight saving time as an example of the disembedding of time from place, the article demonstrates the importance of local social dynamics in the crea...

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Published in:Canadian Historical Review Vol. 93; no. 4; pp. 531 - 555
Main Author: Rudy, Jarrett
Format: Article
Published: University of Toronto Press Dec2012
Subjects:
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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        atl: Do You Have the Time? Modernity, Democracy, and the Beginnings of Daylight Saving Time in Montreal, 1907-1928.
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        au: Rudy, Jarrett
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        Daylight saving
        Units of time
        Federal government
        Democracy
        Modernity
        World War I -- Influence
        Rural-urban differences
        History of Québec (Province)
        Twentieth century
        Law
        Montréal (Québec)
        Montréal Island (Québec : Island)
        Québec (Province)
      sug:
        subj:
          Montréal (Québec)
          Montréal Island (Québec : Island)
          Québec (Province)
          Daylight saving
          Units of time
          Federal government
          Democracy
          Modernity
          World War I -- Influence
          Rural-urban differences
          History of Québec (Province)
          Twentieth century
          Law
      keyword:
        democracy
        federalism
        modernity
        Montreal
        time
        démocratie
        fédéralisme
        modernité
        Montréal
        temps
      ab:
        This article looks at the most significant public debate over time in Montreal's history: the beginnings of daylight saving time (1907-1928). Seeing daylight saving time as an example of the disembedding of time from place, the article demonstrates the importance of local social dynamics in the creation of meanings of modernity. Daylight saving time began as an idea to save money and improve people's lives, though it was ridiculed until the First World War, when it was put in place in Montreal and much of North America and Europe. Yet after the war, it was rejected as a national measure, and subsequently much of North America and eventually even the Island of Montreal turned into a patchwork of time zones. The article argues that the difficult beginnings of daylight saving time in Montreal were due to the unequal benefits of changing the clock, rural-urban tensions, the Canadian federal system, conflicts between ethno-religious institutions, Montreal's tenacious mayor, and the economic power of businesses to shape time.
        Cet article se penche sur l’implantation progressive de l’heure avancée (1907– 1928), objet du plus important débat public consacré au temps dans l’histoire de Montréal. Voyant dans l’heure avancée un exemple de la dissociation du temps et du lieu, l’article montre l’importance des dynamiques sociales locales dans l’assignation de sens multiples à la modernité. Conçue comme moyen de faire économiser de l’argent et d’améliorer la qualité de vie des gens, l’idée de l’heure avancée fut pourtant ridiculisée jusqu’à la Première Guerre mondiale, alors que Montréal et une grande partie de l’Amérique du Nord et de l’Europe l’ont adoptée. On l’a toutefois rejetée en tant que mesure nationale après la guerre; plus tard, une grande partie de l’Amérique du Nord et même l’île de Montréal finirent par se transformer en une courtepointe de fuseaux horaires. L’article soutient que les débuts laborieux de l’heure avancée à Montréal s’expliquent par les avantages inégaux associés au changement d’heure, les tensions entre ville et campagne, le système fédéral canadien, les conflits entre plusieurs institutions ethnoreligieuses, la ténacité du maire de Montréal et le pouvoir économique des entreprises de façonner le temps.
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      doctype: Article
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    language: English
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