For People’s Power: The Known and Unknown Revolutions in Finland (1899–1932)

Abstract

<p>The history of Finland is not known for revolutions but rather for stable social development and as a homogenous society without striking societal cleavages concerning religion, ethnicity or class. This simplified view, the master narrative of a new state (since 1917), focused in the ‘national struggle’ and declined the societal factors of political development. In fact, the first decades of the twentieth century saw a row of revolutions, i.e. moments when the state authority was challenged and reorganized. This chapter studies the dramatic societal transformation of the early 20th century as a revolution—as it was understood then.</p>