Summary

An Encouraging Example, a Warning, or Just an Unimportant Matter? The Independence of Finland in Estonian Newspapers in 1917

Almost half of the Estonian newspapers paid little attention to the question of Finnish independence. Of the 18 Estonian newspapers that existed in late 1917, only 8 published one or two short news items on Finnish independence with no editorial comments. This style reflected their strong tendency of focusing on the most important issues playing a significant role in everyday life in the home district. The broader political and military issues connected with the World War then by far dominated the foreign news section in these newspapers that could be designated as the “representatives of local perspective”. The rest of the Estonian newspapers (10) were divided into two competing camps, equal in number. On the question of Finnish independence, the decisive factor was how actual developments in Finland fit the worldview of these given newspapers. The Estonian nonsocialist educated groups traditionally held a strong positive attitude toward both Finland and the Finns. What happened in Finland in late 1917 appeared to them in a positive light once again, as a clear majority of the societal issues had done since the mid-19th century. Of the 18 Estonian newspapers, five — including the three most popular in terms of circulation — gave considerable attention to Finnish issues. These newspapers supported the Finnish Senate backed by Finnish non-socialist parties and had the opinion that Finland was fully entitled to independence for national-cultural and also juridical reasons. These newspapers were thus “representatives of the nationalist perspective”. The Estonian Left was moderately interested in questions related to Finnish independence, less interested than the “nationalists”, but still more interested than those representing the local perspective. The Estonian Left criticized the Finnish non-socialists who solely directed the process in Finland and held a different opinion on both the final aims and practical solutions. The five Estonian newspapers who could be called “representatives of the socialist perspective” insisted that Finnish independence should definitely be connected to extensive societal reforms. In practice, this viewpoint meant a socialist revolution and Finland staying with Soviet Russia.