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Finnish Passive Resistance against Russification 1899-1905

Finnish Passive Resistance against Russification 1899-1905. Presentation Overview. Finland’s Relationship with Russia ‘Russification’ Finnish Resistance to Russification Methods of Resistance Social Base of the Resistance Outcomes. Finland’s Relationship with Russia. 1808-9 Finnish War

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Finnish Passive Resistance against Russification 1899-1905

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  1. Finnish Passive Resistance against Russification 1899-1905

  2. Presentation Overview • Finland’s Relationship with Russia • ‘Russification’ • Finnish Resistance to Russification • Methods of Resistance • Social Base of the Resistance • Outcomes

  3. Finland’s Relationship with Russia • 1808-9 Finnish War • PaxRussica • Tsar Alexander I’s ‘special agreement’ • Autonomy for Security

  4. ‘Russification’ • 1898 Appointment of Governor-General Bobrikov, who attempted to ‘Russify’ Finland: • Abolition of the Secretary of State • Russian jurisdiction • Russian as the official language • Monitoring and surveillance of educational institutions • Abolition of Finnish monetary and cultural institutions • A Russian press and general censorship of the press • Incorporation of the Finnish army into that of the Empire

  5. ‘Russification’ • February Manifesto 1899 • Legislation of imperial concern not constitutionally bound to Finnish political systems • ‘the murder of Finland’ • Directly led to the passive resistance movement

  6. Why passive resistance? • Affront to burgeoning national culture • National unity was more geared to passive than violent resistance • Militarily mismatched with Russia

  7. Methods of Resistance • Great National Address 1899 – 523,000 signatures • Pro Finlandia addresses earned the support of prominent Europeans • Mechelin Committees • 1901 Conscription Act protest address – 475,000 signatures

  8. Methods of Resistance - Kagal • More direct action, less protest address • 45 departments, numerous subgroups • Financed through collections and donations • Secretive, never sought mass membership

  9. Methods of Resistance - Press • Anonymous • 22 papers shut down by Bobrikov • Fria Ord (Free Words, Swedish) – 2,500 • VapaitaLehtisiä(Free Leaflets, Finnish) – 3,000 • Means of spreading the passive resistance ideal and tactics

  10. Russian Limitations • A deep integration within Finnish society was lacking • Finns understood their passive resistance as part of an empire-wide programme • Only 15,000 troops; ineffective police, gendarmes belittled • Dictatorship Decree 9 April 1903

  11. Methods of Resistance - Active • 1904 Finnish Active Resistance Party • Japanese aid forthcoming but failed to deliver • Kagal’s endorsement of violence • 1904 Assassination of Bobrikov

  12. Methods of Resistance – The General Strike • 30 October 1905 railway workers shut down the system • Unified rather than divided Finnish society • Threat of socialist revolutionaries • Tsar agreed to more moderate Constitutionalist demands • Break up of organised resistance groups

  13. The Social Base • Nationalist Fennomanians • Groups from all walks of life: conservatives, liberals, workers, students • Some socialists saw the attempt to preserve the system as incompatible with the workers’ movement • “God’s will is not on the side of the resistance.”

  14. Outcomes • Press regulation failed, resistance press reigned supreme. • Failure of school surveillance • Lack of European support • Conscription Act revoked 29 March 1905

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