{{Short description|Canadian documentary television series}} '''''The Struggle for Democracy''''' is a [[Canada|Canadian]] documentary television series, which premiered in 1989.<ref>[[Mark Abley]], "Patrick Watson's quest, the search for democracy; Man of ideas embarks upon ambitious TV challenge". ''[[Montreal Gazette]]'', December 4, 1988.</ref> Hosted by [[Patrick Watson (producer)|Patrick Watson]], the series profiled the birth and evolution of [[democracy]], including both the challenges and the opportunities that lay ahead for it in the future.<ref>Tony Atherton, "The Struggle for Democracy; 10-part series rife with Watson's personal convictions". ''[[Ottawa Citizen]]'', January 7, 1989.</ref>
The series was also paired with a companion book, co-written by Watson and [[Benjamin Barber]], and published by [[Lester & Orpen Dennys]].<ref>Henry Mietkiewicz, "Rights to Watson book sold in 6-figure deal". ''[[Toronto Star]]'', June 30, 1988.</ref>
Production on the series was first announced in 1987, when Watson stepped down as host of the business news series ''[[Venture (TV series)|Venture]]'' to begin work on the project.<ref>"Venture host to leave for series on democracy". ''[[Ottawa Citizen]]'', January 15, 1987.</ref> The series premiered January 8, 1989, airing simultaneously in English on [[CBC Television]] and in French on [[Télévision de Radio-Canada]].<ref>Warren Gerard, "The Struggle for Democracy". ''[[Toronto Star]]'', January 7, 1989.</ref> It later aired on [[PBS]] in the United States in 1989,<ref name=michaelson>Judith Michaelson, [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-06-23-ca-2568-story.html "Current Events Overtake PBS Democracy Series"]. ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', June 23, 1989.</ref> and [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] in the United Kingdom in 1990.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/series/18808|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130914214257/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/series/18808|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 September 2013|title=Struggle for Democracy|publisher=BFI|access-date=16 December 2014}}</ref>
The series did face some minor criticism for the fact that due to the rapidly-changing geopolitical climate of the late 1980s, it had been completed too early to cover some noteworthy events at all, including the [[1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre|Tiananmen Square protests]] and the Soviet Bloc [[Revolutions of 1989]].<ref name=michaelson/> Following the original ten-episode 1989 series, Watson created a sequel special in 1990, covering the events in China and Eastern Europe.<ref>[[Antonia Zerbisias]], "Watson has new look at democracy". ''[[Toronto Star]]'', April 5, 1990.</ref>
==Episodes== {{Episode table |total_width= |background=A2C93A |overall= |title= |airdate= |episodes= {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 1 | RTitle = Genesis | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1989|1|8}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = A2C93A }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 2 | RTitle = Reborn in America | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1989|1|15}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = A2C93A }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 3 | RTitle = Chiefs and Strongmen | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1989|1|29}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = A2C93A }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 4 | RTitle = The Tyranny of the Majority | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1989|2|5}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = A2C93A }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 5 | RTitle = The Rule of Law | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1989|2|12}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = A2C93A }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 6 | RTitle = The Last Citizens | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1989|2|19}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = A2C93A }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 7 | RTitle = The First Freedom | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1989|2|26}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = A2C93A }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 8 | RTitle = The Price of Democracy | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1989|3|5}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = A2C93A }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 9 | RTitle = A Soldier's Duty | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1989|3|19}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = A2C93A }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 10 | RTitle = Whither Democracy? | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1989|3|26}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = A2C93A }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 11 | RTitle = The Curtain Rises | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1990|6|24}} | ShortSummary = | LineColor = A2C93A }} }}
==Awards==
{| class="wikitable" |+ !Award !Date of ceremony !Category !Nominees !Result !Reference |- |rowspan=7| [[Gemini Awards]] |rowspan=6| [[4th Gemini Awards|1989]] |Best Documentary Series |[[Ted Remerowski]] |{{won}} |<ref>"Watson's Struggle for Democracy wins Gemini for best documentary". ''[[Montreal Gazette]]'', December 6, 1989.</ref> |- |[[Gordon Sinclair Award]] |[[Patrick Watson (producer)|Patrick Watson]] |{{won}} |<ref>"Glory Enough for All shines in Gemini technical awards". ''[[Montreal Gazette]]'', December 5, 1989.</ref> |- |Best Original Music for a Series |[[Micky Erbe]] and [[Maribeth Solomon]], "The First Freedom" |{{won}} |<ref name=firstnight>"Geminis awarded last night". ''[[Montreal Gazette]]'', December 5, 1989.</ref> |- |rowspan=2|Best Picture Editing in an Information or Documentary Program or Series |John Gareau, "Chiefs and Strongmen" |{{nom}} |rowspan=2|<ref>"This year's TV Gemini nominations". ''[[Toronto Star]]'', October 26, 1989.</ref> |- |Fred Gauthier, "The Tyranny of the Majority" |{{nom}} |- |Sound in an Information or Documentary Program or Series |Ian Challis, Wesley J. Blanchard, Tibor Gyokeres and Paul Massey, "Reborn in America" |{{won}} |<ref name=firstnight/> |- |[[5th Gemini Awards|1990]] |Best Photography in an Information/Documentary Program or Series |[[Michael Boland (cinematographer)|Michael Boland]], "The Curtain Rises" |{{nom}} | |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{imdb title|0138264}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Struggle for Democracy, The}} [[Category:1989 Canadian television series debuts]] [[Category:1990 Canadian television series endings]] [[Category:1980s Canadian documentary television series]] [[Category:1990s Canadian documentary television series]] [[Category:CBC Television original programming]] [[Category:Canadian Screen Award–winning television shows]]