Rural Cooperation and the Finnish Society. Past, Present and Future

Abstract

This essay deals with the importance of human cooperation for the development of societies and economies. The rural history of Finland offers rich material about the topic, including forms and applications of cooperation in economy and community life as well as the role of cooperetion in the development of social institutions and fulfilling political goals. Historical continuum covers here 900 years, including Finland as part of Sweden (~1100-1808), as an autonomous Grand Duchy of Russian empire (1809-1917) and as an indpendent republic of Finland (1917-). The author aims to provoke discussion about the social political importance of cooperation in general as win-win model recognising collective interests of people and balancing dominant individualistic view of man behind the rationality of mainstream competition economy. Long historical evidence of cooperative survival calls e.g. for continuing theoretical works like Nobelist Elinor Ostrom´s path-breaking analyses of the Commons and to give deeper time perspective for comparative research interests around recent topics, like the role of social economy in different countries. Relationships between cooperation and society can be recognised during history in changes of socio-political power relationships, applying of new technologies and re-organising community activities and economic exchange. An example with far-reching comsequences of these components in Finland was the period around the turn of 18th and 19th centuries. Market economy was replacing local subsistence economy, leaving traditional local means of livelihood in troubles. Rural poverty was critical social question needing measures to introduce new agricultural technologies and empowering poor peasants to self-help and extension organisations. Need to find access to larger markets for food and timber, including exporting, was also extremely important. Awareness of new European models of rural and agricultural cooperatives came into this context through influential pioneers, like Hannes Gebhard. After founding of Pellervo Society as central organisation of cooperation, the adoption and dissemination of cooperatives went on rapidly as an important component of Finnish small farm favouring agricultural policy. Talkoot is an essential element of the Finnish rural cooperation. Initially talkoot has been applied in rural communities as voluntary and mutual exchange of work and equipment. This could respond to everyday needs, but has also been applied for the sake of solidarity, to help disadvantaged members of the community. Talkoot-practices were exploited also by authorities, obligating subjects collectively to cooperate for certain common responsibilities. As an example of talkoot potential of Finns in exceptional circumstances was the organising of voluntary acts in home front during the wars 1939 and 1941-45.Received: 28 April 2023 Accepted: 11 July 2023