The Forging of Finnish-American Communism, 1917–1924 : a Study in Ethnic Radicalism
Kostiainen, Auvo (1978)
Kostiainen, Auvo
Siirtolaisuusinstituutti
1978
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:951-9266-14-3
https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:951-9266-14-3
Kuvaus
Acknowledgments
INTRODUCTION
1. Research Problems and Sources
2. General Setting for the Study
I THE FINNISH-AMERICAN WORKERS' MOVEMENT BEFORE 1917
1. The Rising Tide of Socialism in the Finnish-American Community
2. Toward the Radical Split of 1914
II THE IMPACT OF THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION, 1917–1919
1. The Initial Reaction to Events in Russia
2. The Influence of Developments in Finland: Independence and Civil War
3. The Disputes over Tactics Come out into the Open
III THE BREAK WITH THE SOCIALIST PARTY, 1919–1921
1. Left Wing Gains in the Finnish Socialist Federation
2. The Growing Influence of International Communism
3. Withdrawal from the Socialist Party and Its Aftermath
IV FINNISH-AMERICANS AS AN ORGANIZED PART OF THE COMMUNIST MOVEMENT, 1920–1924
1. The Period of Underground Activity
2. The Finns and the Founding of the Workers Party
3. New Blood from Finnish-American IWW Ranks
4. The Finnish Federation: an Organ of the Workers Party
5. Links to Finland and Soviet Russia
V COMMUNIST INFORMATION AND PROPAGANDA ACTIVITIES
CONCLUSION
BIBLIOGRAPHY
ABBREVIATIONS
APPENDICES.
INTRODUCTION
1. Research Problems and Sources
2. General Setting for the Study
I THE FINNISH-AMERICAN WORKERS' MOVEMENT BEFORE 1917
1. The Rising Tide of Socialism in the Finnish-American Community
2. Toward the Radical Split of 1914
II THE IMPACT OF THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION, 1917–1919
1. The Initial Reaction to Events in Russia
2. The Influence of Developments in Finland: Independence and Civil War
3. The Disputes over Tactics Come out into the Open
III THE BREAK WITH THE SOCIALIST PARTY, 1919–1921
1. Left Wing Gains in the Finnish Socialist Federation
2. The Growing Influence of International Communism
3. Withdrawal from the Socialist Party and Its Aftermath
IV FINNISH-AMERICANS AS AN ORGANIZED PART OF THE COMMUNIST MOVEMENT, 1920–1924
1. The Period of Underground Activity
2. The Finns and the Founding of the Workers Party
3. New Blood from Finnish-American IWW Ranks
4. The Finnish Federation: an Organ of the Workers Party
5. Links to Finland and Soviet Russia
V COMMUNIST INFORMATION AND PROPAGANDA ACTIVITIES
CONCLUSION
BIBLIOGRAPHY
ABBREVIATIONS
APPENDICES.
Tiivistelmä
For decades, American historians viewed the immigrants arriving from Europe as poor and inexperienced peasants who came to America unprepared for the complexities of urban and industrial life, and who did not interfere in the progress of American social life.
With the rise of scholarly interest in American ethnic history in recent years, however, a growing number of studies have demonstrated the one-sidedness of the conception of immigrant conservativism. As new sources have been tapped and scholars with the ability to use the source materials of different ethnic groups efficiently have emerged, the picture has begun to change. It has been perceived that certain immigrant groups can not be described as conservative, since a large proportion of them have actively engaged in radical activities. In this respect, attention has been directed also to Finnish-Americans in the last few years, and several studies have shown persuasively that the Finns were in fact proportionally one of the most active radical ethnic groups in the United States. Thus, the purpose of this study is no longer to prove the one-sidedness of the earlier conception of immigrant conservativism because this had already been done. Rather is this study intended to deal with political radicalism as it existed among Finnish immigrants and to probe in depth the activities of Finns in American leftist movements, particularly in the communist ranks.
The major goal of this work can be presented in two parts. First, an effort will be made to discuss the emergence of the Finnish-American communist movement inside a larger entity: as a part of the American labor movement and as a part of the international labor movement. A study of Finnish-American communism can shed new light on American political, ethnic and labor history. In the second place, it is important to have a look at the communist movement from the inside, or through the developments within the Finnish radical group.
Published at the same time in Annales Universitatis Turkuensis, Ser. B - Tom. 147 (ISBN 951-641-571-7, ISSN 0082-6987).
With the rise of scholarly interest in American ethnic history in recent years, however, a growing number of studies have demonstrated the one-sidedness of the conception of immigrant conservativism. As new sources have been tapped and scholars with the ability to use the source materials of different ethnic groups efficiently have emerged, the picture has begun to change. It has been perceived that certain immigrant groups can not be described as conservative, since a large proportion of them have actively engaged in radical activities. In this respect, attention has been directed also to Finnish-Americans in the last few years, and several studies have shown persuasively that the Finns were in fact proportionally one of the most active radical ethnic groups in the United States. Thus, the purpose of this study is no longer to prove the one-sidedness of the earlier conception of immigrant conservativism because this had already been done. Rather is this study intended to deal with political radicalism as it existed among Finnish immigrants and to probe in depth the activities of Finns in American leftist movements, particularly in the communist ranks.
The major goal of this work can be presented in two parts. First, an effort will be made to discuss the emergence of the Finnish-American communist movement inside a larger entity: as a part of the American labor movement and as a part of the international labor movement. A study of Finnish-American communism can shed new light on American political, ethnic and labor history. In the second place, it is important to have a look at the communist movement from the inside, or through the developments within the Finnish radical group.
Published at the same time in Annales Universitatis Turkuensis, Ser. B - Tom. 147 (ISBN 951-641-571-7, ISSN 0082-6987).