DOCSLIB.ORG

Who Wants a Cartel? Regulating European Timber Trade in the Nineteen-Thirties

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Who Wants a Cartel? Regulating European Timber Trade in the Nineteen-Thirties Who wants a cartel? Regulating European timber trade in the nineteen-thirties Elina Kuorelahti Academic dissertation to be publicly discussed, by due permission of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Helsinki in Lecture room 12, Main Building (Fabianinkatu 33), 13 October 2018 at 12 o’clock. © Elina Kuorelahti ISBN 978-951-51-4479-9 (paperback) ISBN 978-951-51-4480-5 (e-book) Unigrafia 2018 Helsinki Abstract This dissertation studies the making and maintaining of an international cartel; the European Timber Exporters’ Convention (ETEC), which regulated the yearly export volumes of seven to nine member states from December 1935 until October 1939. The ETEC is analysed in two levels, the national and international. Analysis on the national level concentrates on the biggest ETEC member, Finland, and to lesser extent Sweden. The dissertation is divided into two parts and six chapters and it proceeds chronologically. The first part explores the formative phase of the ETEC starting from 1931 and the second part follows the ETEC years 1935–1939. The ETEC has been mentioned in some academic works, but the topic has not been studied previously at length. The main research question is who supported, nationally and internationally, the making and maintaining of the ETEC and why. The key concept of this work is cartel and the main theoretical framework is the economic and organisational theories on cartel formation as well as business historical literature showing that even before the birth of modern competition laws, governments, inter-governmental bodies, and banks regulated, encouraged, or otherwise influenced in the formation of cartels. Besides firms and their role in the cartel, this work studies how banks, national governments, and inter-governmental bodies contributed in the making and maintaining of the ETEC. Methods and materials used in this work follow the conventions of history research. Research material consists of nearly 17.000 pages of archive documents restored in twelve archives in three countries. Organisations and people who were involved in the making and maintaining of the ETEC have produced the research material; governments, banks, Swedish and Finnish timber trade associations, British timber importing firms, and the League of Nations. Material is analysed by historical methods based on source criticism and triangulation. The key argument of this dissertation is that, first, the governments and banks in timber trading countries as well as the League of Nations contributed in the making and maintaining of the ETEC, and second, the involvement of these actors worsened the ability of Finnish and Swedish firms to get their voices heard. Trade politics and diplomacy intertwined with the cartel process, particularly strongly between 1931 and 1933, but the Finnish materials suggest that the political tension in the ETEC remained in the background through the nineteen-thirties. The Finnish timber trade association SSY remained concerned throughout the decade over a potential intervention of the government to the negotiations if the SSY and did not deliver satisfactory negotiation results; and this fear catalysed the ETEC-policies within the SSY. Analysis on the national implementation of the ETEC in Finland shows that a large number of firms— particularly the big ones—opposed the making and maintaining of the ETEC, but national interests discouraged Finland from withdrawing from the ETEC process. This dissertation concludes that many members of the Finnish ETEC organisation, on the one hand, feared government intervention to ETEC matters, but on the other hand, the organisation used the threat of economic sanctions as well as government intervention to pressure on the cartel-opposing Finnish timber firms to accept and follow their ETEC quotas. Banks and the government collaborated to varying decree with the Finnish ETEC organisation, and to some extent also with the Swedish ETEC organisation. This dissertation often discusses pressure in national and international networks in diplomacy, politics, and business. The analysis shows that the self-determination of firms, industry associations, and governments can become compromised through external pressure. Compromised self-determination puts the previous interpretation of the ETEC as a voluntary cartel in Finland and Sweden in a new light. This work concludes that, for Finnish timber firms, the ETEC was not a question of free choice even though they were not legally coerced to join the international cartel. Acknowledgements This work would not have seen the daylight without the help of many people and institutions. I want to thank Professor Markku Kuisma for bringing the ETEC into my knowledge and hiring me to work as a part of his research team, funded by the Finnish Academy. Niklas Jensen-Eriksen has taken most of the practical supervising work during my dissertation project, and I owe him my deepest gratitude of all help, advices, encouragements, and time he has given me to help me this far. Thank you! Several organisations have funded my working in Finland and abroad. Almost all of my archive material being somewhere else than in Helsinki, my basic work has required a lot of travelling. In addition, research grants have been the economic backbone for me for years. I want to thank Eino Jutikkala fund in the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters for a two-year research grant; the Foundation for Economic Education for financial help to cover the costs of affiliating to the University of Cambridge as well as for grants to finish this manuscript; Kulturfonden för Sverige och Finland for several archive trips to Stockholm; Kanslianeuvos Kaarle Koskimiehen ja Irma Koskimiehen rahasto in the University of Helsinki, the former department of Philosophy, History, Culture, and Arts, and the Alfred Chandler travel grant in the Business History Conference for funding my numerous conference trips in Europe and the US. I also want to thank all the organisations that have granted me a permission to use their archives. I am very grateful for all the archivists National Archives of Finland, Riksarkivet, ELKA, Svensk Bankföreningen, Centrum för Näringslivshistoria, Archive of Foreign Ministry of Finland, Bank of England Archive, Bank of Finland Archive, and the National Archives; you have helped me to find material and carried back and forth hundreds and hundreds of folders on my request. Many colleagues have read my work and helped me to develop professionally. Professor Martin Daunton in University of Cambridge, Trinity Hall, gave me many crucial advices in the early stages of my work and his encouraging words helped me onwards. Year in Trinity Hall in Cambridge, surrounded by economic history seminars and lectures guided my dissertation to a new level; thank you Martin for making it happen. Professor Susanna Fellman and her support has meant a lot to me during this PhD project. Susanna’s expertize on international cartels is simply amazing and I admire her natural ability to mentor young scholars to think they are not as nearly lost as they think they are. Also, thank you Susanna for inviting me to the economic history seminar at the University of Gothenburg; the feedback helped me to develop my argumentation. Similarly, thank you Professor Ben Wubs in Erasmus University in Rotterdam for inviting me to visit your business history seminar; also that feedback changed my work (for better). I want to thank Martin Bemmann in University of Freiburg for sharing his timber trade material with me; they have been incredibly valuable. Also, I want to thank the European Business History Association for accepting my paper proposals and including me in the lovely collective of European business historians. I have made many good colleagues and friends in the yearly meetings of EBHA, and listening to these people and their views have made a huge impact on this dissertation as well as on my professional growth. I want to thank all the professors and students of our PhD seminar in the University of Helsinki for commenting on my work; thank you Juha Siltala, Panu Pulma, Aaro Sahari, Maiju Wuokko, Mirkka Danielsbacka, and Petteri Norring. Also peer support in our book projects and the overall collective of Finnish historians has been vitally important to me; thank you Reetta Hänninen, Aleksi Mainio, Henrik Tala, Kaarlo Havu, Eeva Kotioja, and Saara Hilpinen for many helpful and fun conversations. Anitra and Saku, thank you for laughs, the serious stuff, and having just one more beer before we really must go. Dir. mus Marjukka Riihimäki and Philomela; thank you for being my soul-soothing oasis every week. You people and the music we make together is a crucial source of wellbeing and happiness to me. You cure my stress, and that’s a lot. I am lucky to have a supporting family. When I have been away, my parents and in-laws have been my strategic resource; they have taken care of our children, done our laundry, and cleaned our kitchen. They have always supported and encouraged me in this path, and I want to thank you for that. My parents have hosted me on my writing-weeks in Jyväskylä and Saarijärvi, and besides peaceful writing environment and food, they have given me a couple of excellent advices about the structure of this work—and academia in general. Thank you! Finally, I want to thank Tommi, my companion in life. We have shared many great adventures together, and I want to thank you for sharing also this one with me. You are an academic yourself, so you know what it takes. You have given me
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Foreign Capital and Finland: Central Government's Firstperiod of Reliance on International Financial Markets 1862-1938
    A Service of Leibniz-Informationszentrum econstor Wirtschaft Leibniz Information Centre Make Your Publications Visible. zbw for Economics Arola, Mika Book Foreign capital and Finland: central government's firstperiod of reliance on international financial markets 1862-1938 Scientific monographs, No. E:37 Provided in Cooperation with: Bank of Finland, Helsinki Suggested Citation: Arola, Mika (2006) : Foreign capital and Finland: central government's firstperiod of reliance on international financial markets 1862-1938, Scientific monographs, No. E:37, ISBN 952-462-311-0, Bank of Finland, Helsinki, http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:NBN:fi:bof-201408071697 This Version is available at: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/212970 Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen: Terms of use: Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Documents in EconStor may be saved and copied for your Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden. personal and scholarly purposes. Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle You are not to copy documents for public or commercial Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich purposes, to exhibit the documents publicly, to make them machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen. publicly available on the internet, or to distribute or otherwise use the documents in public. Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, If the documents have been made available under an Open gelten abweichend
    [Show full text]
  • Pdf På Finska
    ITSETEHOSTUKSESTA NÖYRYYTEEN SUOMENSAKSALAISET 1933–46 Lars Westerlund Kansikuva: Korkean tason saksalais-suomalaista kanssakäymistä presidentinlinnassa huhtikuussa 1938. Vasemmalta kenraali Rüdiger von der Goltz, presidentti Kyösti Kallio, marsalkka Gustaf Mannerheim ja Saksan Suomen lähettiläs Wipert von Blücher. Erik von Frenckellin kokoelma. Svenska Litteratursällskapet Kansallisarkisto 2011 Tekninen toimitus: Jyri Taskinen Painopaikka: Oy Nord Print Ab, Helsinki 2011 ISBN 978-951-53-3373-5 2 SISÄLLYS JOHDANTO ................................................................................................. 6 Tarkoitus ja jäsentely ................................................................................. 6 Suomen saksalaisyhteisö ............................................................................ 7 Aikaisempi tutkimus ................................................................................ 21 Käytetty arkisto- ja lehtiaineisto .............................................................. 37 YHDISTYKSET .......................................................................................... 41 Suomen Saksalainen Siirtokunta – Die Deutsche Kolonie ...................... 41 Saksalaisen Siirtokunnan jäsenistö 1935–42 ........................................... 57 NSDAP:n Suomen puoluejärjestö ............................................................ 70 Deutscher Verein Helsingissä .................................................................. 93 Deutscher Frauenverein ........................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Soome Presidentide Visiitide Mõju Eesti-Soome Suhetele Aastail 1918-1940
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by DSpace at Tartu University Library Tartu Ülikool Humanitaarteaduste ja kunstide valdkond Ajaloo ja arheoloogia instituut Uusima aja osakond Patrik Hytönen Soome presidentide visiitide mõju Eesti-Soome suhetele aastail 1918-1940 Bakalaureusetöö Juhendaja: prof Eero Medijainen Tartu 2016 Sisukord SISSEJUHATUS ................................................................................................................................... 3 1. 1918-1922 – AKTIIVNE KOOSTÖÖ .............................................................................................. 8 1.1 Soome-Eesti riigi suhete algus .................................................................................................... 8 1.2 Eesti ja Soome saatkonnad Helsingis ja Tallinnas ................................................................. 11 1.3 Kaarlo Juho Ståhlbergi välispoliitiline tegevus ...................................................................... 12 1.4 Riigivanem Konstantin Pätsi visiit Soome 1922 ..................................................................... 15 2. 1922-1934 – ÄRAOOTAV SUHTUMINE ..................................................................................... 18 2.1 Eesti ja Soome suhted kuni 1925. aastani ................................................................................ 18 2.2 Lauri Kristian Relanderi valimine presidendiks ning visiit Eestisse 1925 ........................... 21 2.3 Eesti ja Soome poliitilised
    [Show full text]
  • FINLAND's RELATIONS with the SOVIET UNION, 1940-1952 By
    FINLAND'S RELATIONS WITH THE SOVIET UNION, 1940-1952 by HANS PETER KROSBY B.A., University of British Columbia, 1955 A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS in INTERNATIONAL STUDIES We accept this Thesis as conforming to the required standard: UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA April, 1958 ABSTRACT In March 194-0, Finland had just completed another life and death struggle with the Soviet Union, the second such struggle since Bolshevik autocracy- replaced Tsarist autocracy in Russia in 1917. During the following fifteen months, Soviet diplomacy endeavoured to complete the job which the Red Army had "begun. By a unilateral and extremely liberal interpretation of the Peace Treaty of March 12, 1940, the Soviet Union tried to isolate Finland from her other neighbours and to establish a favourable basis for a complete annexation of Finland in the manner of the three Baltic States. Surrounded by Soviet and German military might, and noticing the increasing friction in the Nazi-Soviet alliance, Finland, in order to save herself from an imminent Soviet invasion, grasped the only straw which seemed to offer some hope: a transit agreement for German troops from Finland's Bothnian coast to Kirkenes in oc• cupied Norway. The resulting presence of German troops in the country did save Finland from becoming the seventeenth Soviet Socialist Republic in 1940 or 194-1* but it also involved her deeply in the Nazi-Soviet conflict which followed. When Germany attacked the Soviet Union in June 194-1, Finland tried in vain to have her neutrality respected, and she was attacked by Soviet forces three days after the German aggression.
    [Show full text]
  • The Memoirs of Herbert Hoover: Years of Adventure 1874-1920
    THE MEMOIRS OF Herbert Hoover __________________________________ Years of Adventure 1874-1920 THE MACMILLAN COMPANY: NEW YORK 1951 Copyright, 1951, by HERBERT HOOVER All rights reserved—no part of this book may be reproduced in any form without per- mission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review written for inclusion in magazine or newspaper. PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Fifth Printing, 1951 PREFACE ___________________________________________________________ These memoirs are not a diary but a topical relation of some events and incidents in a roughly chronological order. It has been my habit to keep notes and documents rather than daily entries—for which indeed I have found little time in life. This volume comprises three parts: the first covers the period from my birth in 1874 to the end of my professional career in 1914; the second covers the First World War and the Armistice from mid-1914 to October, 1919; the third, my relations to the making of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. The first part was written at odd times during 1915-1916 when I was occupied with Belgian Relief. At that time I constantly had to journey backwards and forwards from London, crossing the English Channel two score times en route to Holland, Belgium, Germany, and often thence to Switzerland, Paris, and London again. These journeys were filled with hours of waiting. Wartime boats and trains were always late in starting or in arriving. There was also the eternal waiting in hotels for appointments with officials.
    [Show full text]
  • Ilona Salomaa Rafael Karsten (1879-1956) As a Finnish
    ILONA SALOMAA RAFAEL KARSTEN (1879-1956) AS A FINNISH SCHOLAR OF RELIGION THE LIFE AND CAREER OF A MAN OF SCIENCE Academic dissertation to be publicly discussed, by due permission of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Helsinki in auditorium XII, on the 4th of May, 2002 at 10 o´ clock. ISBN 952-91-4423-7 (volume) ISBN 952-10-0409-6 (PDF) The University Press, Helsinki 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The present study has benefited enormously from the help and support of various people and institutions to whom I am greatly obliged. I regret that it is impossible to name here all who have helped me. I gratefully acknowledge the assistance, advice, criticism and patience of the following people: Professor Juha Pentikäinen, Professor René Gothóni, Professor Emeritus Åke Hultkrantz (Sweden), Docent Christer Lindberg (Sweden), Dr. Kirsti Suolinna, Lic.Phil. Riku Hämäläinen, Marja Jalava MA, Dr. Tom Sjöblom, Dr. Anja Nygren, Eva Karsten MA (Sweden), the late Rolf Karsten, Mrs. Maggie Karsten-Sveander (Sweden), Satu Hietanen MA, Päivi Ritvo, M.Ed., and the personnel of the Helsinki University Library, the Gothenburg Ethnographical Museum, the Gothenburg University Archives, and the British Library. My best thanks are also due to Virginia Mattila MA and Marjut Heinonen MA for correcting the manuscript as regards language, and for most valuable help in regarding the proofs. Any mistakes which remain are, of course, my own. Lastly, I add my sincere thanks for my family and friends.You have made the writing of this study a true journey of personal discovery, that is, the moments of delight and despair which you have shared with me have not always been the easiest.
    [Show full text]
  • The Victors in World War I and Finland
    THE VICTORS IN WORLD WAR I AND FINLAND ~ The Victors in World War I and Finland Finland's Relations with the British, French and United States Governments in 1918-1919 By Juhani Paasivirta Translated from the Finnish by Paul Sjöblom HelSinki 1965 STUDIA HISTORICA Published by The Finnish Historical Society Suomen Historiallinen Seura — Finska Historiska Samfundet vol. 7. JUHANI PAASIVIRTA The Victors in World War I and Finland Title of the original Finnish edition: ENSIMMÄISEN MAAILMANSODAN VOITTAJAT JA SUOMI (published in 1961) To the memory of my father '`' "R c, , f ,01( • TURUN SANOMALEHTI JA KIRJAPAINO OSAKEYHTIÖ TURKU 1965 Preface This work examines Finland's relations with the British, United States and French Governments during the closing stage of World War I and the period immediately after the war. Chief attention is directed to the shaping of diplomatic relations, the procurement of relief supplies for Finland, the resolution of the problem of obtaining recognition for Finnish independence and the issues of the Aland Islands (Ahvenanmaa) and East Karelia. The matter of intervention in Russia is also dealt with insofar as it relates to military operations planned by the so-called White Russians in the Finnish sector and the possible participation of Finland in such action as well as to the relations between the Western Powers and Finland in this connection. The questions involved had by and large emerged in the field of international politics before hostilities had ended, but the radical change in the world situation in the months of October and November 1918 gave them a different position and significance in many respects within the framework of relations between the Western Allies and Finland.
    [Show full text]
  • The Diplomatic Preclude to the Winter War
    Illinois Wesleyan University Digital Commons @ IWU Honors Projects History Department Spring 1995 Bright Hopes and Bloody Realities: The Diplomatic Preclude to the Winter War Steven D. Webster '95 Illinois Wesleyan University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/history_honproj Part of the History Commons Recommended Citation Webster '95, Steven D., "Bright Hopes and Bloody Realities: The Diplomatic Preclude to the Winter War" (1995). Honors Projects. 25. https://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/history_honproj/25 This Article is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by Digital Commons @ IWU with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this material in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/ or on the work itself. This material has been accepted for inclusion by faculty at Illinois Wesleyan University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ©Copyright is owned by the author of this document. • NAY 'f 2 1995 BRIGHT HOPES AND BLOODY REALITIES: THE DIPLOMATIC PRELUDE TO THE WINTER WAR STEVEN D. WEBSTER SPRING 1995 • For Finns, the sixth of December is a day to celebrate. Along with the frolicking, frivolities, and the fireworks, the beer and vodka flow, celebrating the most magnificent event in Finnish history. On that day in the monumental year of 1917, Czarist Russia, fat from hundreds of years of imperialist expansion but reeling from military defeat and internal chaos, witnessed one comer of its crumbling empire do the unthinkable-- declare independence.
    [Show full text]
  • The Development of Finnish—Soviet Relations
    THE DEVELOPMENT OF FINNISH —SOVIET RELATIONS THE DEVELOPMENT OF FINNISH—SOVIET RELATIONS DURING THE AUTUMN OF 1939 IN THE LIGHT OF OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS Publication of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland O Y. SUOMEN K I R J A HELSINKI-FINLAND Printed in Finland by F. TILGMANN, LTD. Helsinki 1940 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 7 DOCUMENTS: 1. Treaty of Non-Aggression and Pacific Settlement of Disputes, concluded at Helsinki on January 21st, 1932, between Finland and the U.S.S.R 23 2. Convention of Conciliation, concluded at Helsinki on April 22nd, 1932, between Finland and the U.S.S.R 27 3. Convention for the Definition of Aggression, concluded at London on July 3rd, 1933 31 4. Protocol renewing until December 31st, 1945, the Treaty of Non- Aggression and Pacific Settlement of Disputes concluded on January 21st, 1932, between Finland and the U.S.S.R., signed at Moscow on April 7th, 1934 36 5. Neutrality Declaration of Finland, issued at Helsinki on September 1st, 1939 38 6. Statement published on September 1st, 1939, regarding the Neu- trality Declarations of the Northern Countries 38 7. Neutrality Declaration of the U.S.S.R., communicated by M. Molo- tov, Commissar for Foreign Affairs, to M. Yrjö-Koskinen, Finnish Minister at Moscow, with a Note of September 17th, 1939 39 8. Statement of M. Erkko, Minister for Foreign Affairs, to the Finnish News Service on September 18th, 1939, with reference to the Neu- trality Declaration of the U.S.S.R 40 Communique issued after the Conference of the Prime Ministers and Foreign Ministers of the Northern Countries, at Copenhagen on September 18th, 1939 41 10.
    [Show full text]
  • THE CANADIAN IMAGE of FINLAND, 1919–1948 Canadian Government Perceptions and Foreign Policy
    B 164 OULU 2018 B 164 UNIVERSITY OF OULU P.O. Box 8000 FI-90014 UNIVERSITY OF OULU FINLAND ACTA UNIVERSITATIS OULUENSIS ACTA UNIVERSITATIS OULUENSIS ACTA HUMANIORAB David Ratz David Ratz University Lecturer Tuomo Glumoff THE CANADIAN IMAGE OF University Lecturer Santeri Palviainen FINLAND, 1919–1948 Postdoctoral research fellow Sanna Taskila CANADIAN GOVERNMENT PERCEPTIONS AND FOREIGN POLICY Professor Olli Vuolteenaho University Lecturer Veli-Matti Ulvinen Planning Director Pertti Tikkanen Professor Jari Juga University Lecturer Anu Soikkeli Professor Olli Vuolteenaho UNIVERSITY OF OULU GRADUATE SCHOOL; UNIVERSITY OF OULU, FACULTY OF HUMANITIES, HISTORY Publications Editor Kirsti Nurkkala ISBN 978-952-62-2032-1 (Paperback) ISBN 978-952-62-2033-8 (PDF) ISSN 0355-3205 (Print) ISSN 1796-2218 (Online) ACTA UNIVERSITATIS OULUENSIS B Humaniora 164 DAVID RATZ THE CANADIAN IMAGE OF FINLAND, 1919–1948 Canadian government perceptions and foreign policy Academic dissertation to be presented with the assent of the Doctoral Training Committee of Human Sciences of the University of Oulu for public defence in the Wetteri auditorium (IT115), Linnanmaa, on 10 October 2018, at 2 p.m. UNIVERSITY OF OULU, OULU 2018 Copyright © 2018 Acta Univ. Oul. B 164, 2018 Supervised by Doctor Olavi K. Fält Reviewed by Doctor Antti Häkkinen Doctor Donald J. Wilson Opponent Doctor Michael Stevenson ISBN 978-952-62-2032-1 (Paperback) ISBN 978-952-62-2033-8 (PDF) ISSN 0355-3205 (Printed) ISSN 1796-2218 (Online) Cover Design Raimo Ahonen JUVENES PRINT TAMPERE 2018 Ratz, David, The Canadian image of Finland, 1919–1948. Canadian government perceptions and foreign policy University of Oulu Graduate School; University of Oulu, Faculty of Humanities, History Acta Univ.
    [Show full text]
  • Julia Abelev, “Perceptual Realism and the Winter War of 1939,” Intersections 10, No
    intersections Volume 10, Number 3 (Autumn 2009) Julia Abelev, “Perceptual Realism and the Winter War of 1939,” intersections 10, no. 3 (2009): 1-19. ABSTRACT Why did the Soviet Union choose to invade Finland in 1939? Perceptual realism attempts to provide an answer. The theory accepts realism’s assumptions regarding power dynamics, but makes individuals the independent variables that interpret the balance of power and security threats. In this way, realism explains the context that incited tension, while the cognitive biases of Soviet leaders led them to choose war. I test the explanatory power of perceptual realism through two lines of inquiry: 1) whether the Soviets demonstrated misperception; and 2) whether misperception, not realism alone, explains their policies. The evidence supports the first hypothesis, but not the latter. Power dynamics alone explain the Winter War, while individuals influenced only the preparations for the conflict. http://depts.washington.edu/chid/intersections_Autumn_2009/Julia_Abelev_Perceptual_Realism_and_the_Winter_War_of_1939.pdf © 2009 Julia Abelev intersections Autumn 2009 Perceptual Realism and the Winter War of 1939 By Julia Abelev1 University of Washington, Seattle estled within the great conflict of World War II was another lesser known N contest—the Winter War between the Soviet Union and Finland. On November 30, 1939, the Soviet Union, an august entity with a population of more than 170 million, declared war on Finland, a country of four million.2 Finland managed to extend the war to 105 days, even with only a small and underequipped military.3 This far surpassed Soviet plans for a twelve day invasion.4 The implications of the war were just as surprising, resonating far beyond the battlefield and impacting the course of World War II.
    [Show full text]
  • Finnish Diplomats As Interpreters of Finland's Foreign Policy 1955
    JYU DISSERTATIONS 98 Jukka Nissinen Finnish Diplomats as Interpreters of Finland’s Foreign Policy 1955–1971 Question of Neutrality and Divided Germany JYU DISSERTATIONS 98 Jukka Nissinen Finnish Diplomats as Interpreters of Finland’s Foreign Policy 1955–1971 Question of Neutrality and Divided Germany Esitetään Jyväskylän yliopiston humanistis-yhteiskuntatieteellisen tiedekunnan suostumuksella julkisesti tarkastettavaksi yliopiston vanhassa juhlasalissa S212 kesäkuun 19. päivänä 2019 kello 14. Academic dissertation to be publicly discussed, by permission of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Jyväskylä, in building Seminarium, old festival hall S212 on June 19, 2019 at 2 pm. JYVÄSKYLÄ 2019 Editors Pasi Ihalainen Department of History and Ethnology, University of Jyväskylä Timo Hautala Open Science Centre, University of Jyväskylä Copyright © 2019, by University of Jyväskylä Permanent link to this publication: http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-951-39-7798-6 ISBN 978-951-39-7798-6 (PDF) URN:ISBN:978-951-39-7798-6 ISSN 2489-9003 ABSTRACT Nissinen, Jukka Finnish Diplomats as Interpreters of Finland’s Foreign Policy 1955–1971: Question of Neutrality and Divided Germany Jyväskylä: University of Jyväskylä, 2010, 348 p. (JYU Dissertations ISSN 2489-9003; 98) ISBN 978-951-39-7798-6 (PDF) During the Cold War, between the years 1949–1973, Finland did not recognize either one of the states of the divided Germany, the socialist German Democratic Republic (East Germany) or the democratic Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany. This policy was initiated by the cautious stance of President J.K. Paasikivi, and it continued during President Urho Kek- konen’s multiple terms in office.
    [Show full text]