Introduction, part III: Inherited respect for Russia and for disadvantages of Democracy

Finland, where I come from, was part of a country that in the 18th century had a 50 years long experiment with parliamentarism — although my forefathers lived in the very province whose loss gave the impetus for the transfer of control over executive power from king to parliament back in 1721/22. Actually, this parliamentarism soon turned out to be most advantageous for the arch-enemy, Russia, gaining influence both directly through bribing parliamentarians and others, and indirectly thanks to the relative national weaknes that perpetual political strifes resulted in. Few would say that it was a very successful period, although some improvements were made to the form of government and many important experiences were won.

Undeniably, my world view is colored by this fact, that the province from where three of my grandparents were evacuated in 1940 and 1944, the province of Karelia, always has been divided by the Russian border.

How much I ever would wish to, I can't help feeling a rush of adrenalin and my soul prepairing to fight or flight when I get reminded of Russian expansionism, Russian oppression, and Russian lack of respect for commoners' lifes and rights.

As history has been told to me, there has always been an East–West dimension to loss of liberty and loss of legal security. For instance, in two decrees, 1817 and 1826, the Russian crown confiscated most land held by farmers in this province and gave it to noblemen. 1.5 million acres thus changed owners, for some decades the farmers remained serfs in all but the name, virtually without legal rights, and finally in the 1870s–1880s Finland's government acted as middleman and made it possible for the farmers to buy their land back again — by instalments.

Without any doubt, it's so that my ancestors' experiences, as they have been told from generation to generation, influence the descendants' world view. This, I believe, must be true for all people who are not deprived of their history.