Santeri Alkio
Encyclopedia
Santeri Alkio was a Finnish
politician
, author
and journalist
. He is also considered to be the ideological father of Finnish Centre Party
.
Initially Santeri Alkio was active in the Nuorsuomalainen Puolue (Young Finnish Party), but in the end decided it was too liberal for the farming population; urbanized parties did not, in his estimation, pay enough attention to the causes that were most important to farmers. To keep the agrarian folk from becoming ensnared by socialism
, he founded the Etelä-Pohjanmaan Nuorsuomalainen Maalaisliitto, which he later fused into the less ideological Maalaisväestön liitto
(Centre Party of Finland). Alkio became the chief ideologue of the Maalaisliitto, and is still considered the father of the party in spirit. The party still refers to alkioish tendencies in some of its factions.
Alkio was a member of the Finnish House of Representatives from 1907 - 1908 and again from 1914 - 1922. He was vice-chairman of the Eduskunta in 1917 and 1918, and minister of social affairs from 1919 - 1920. He was the minister of social affairs of the Vennola government from (15 August 1919 - 15 March 1920). An ardent temperance-movement activist, he participated in drafting the Finnish Prohibition
and also was the minister responsible for the confirmation of president
K. J. Ståhlberg.
Alkio was an extremely prolific author. He founded the newspaper Ilkka and was its editor through the years 1906 - 1930.
His likeness graced a Finnish stamp on 17 July 1962.
and Finnish national independence. He led the youth association movement, which above all wanted to defend the values of rural life and foster temperance and healthy living, a desire the movement held in common with the coeval Christian revivalist and labor movements.
Despite his Christian
background Alkio was a strong opponent of state church
. In 1906 Alkio wrote that "We want to liberate the beautiful and simple teachings of Jesus from the tyranny of theology and that is why we would like to withdraw the support of the state from one confession and to proclaim it to all."
As a nationalist, Alkio supported the independent senate of Svinhufvud. During the summer of 1917 he had supported usurping the highest power in the land from Russia
via the Power of Government Act (Lex Tulenheimo) while the parties on the right still opposed it.
Alkio thought the red revolt supported by Russian soldiers was an attempt to return Finland to Soviet Russia: "It [the revolt] is meant to set Finnish independence at nought." ("Sen [kapinan] tarkoituksena on tehdä tyhjäksi Suomen itsenäisyys.")
Alkio was also a pacifist
. He attributed this to the influence of Mahatma Gandhi
. On 15 January 1920 he wrote in Maan Ääni newspaper that Europe should consider the question of the United States of Europe. This article made him one of the first important proponents of European integration
.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
. He is also considered to be the ideological father of Finnish Centre Party
Centre Party (Finland)
The Centre Party is a centrist and Nordic agrarian political party in Finland. It is one of the four largest political parties in the country, along with the Social Democratic Party , the National Coalition Party and the True Finns , and currently has 35 seats in the Finnish Parliament...
.
History
Alkio's parents were Juho and Maria (née Jakku) Filander. He married teacher Anna Augusta Falenius in 1896.Initially Santeri Alkio was active in the Nuorsuomalainen Puolue (Young Finnish Party), but in the end decided it was too liberal for the farming population; urbanized parties did not, in his estimation, pay enough attention to the causes that were most important to farmers. To keep the agrarian folk from becoming ensnared by socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
, he founded the Etelä-Pohjanmaan Nuorsuomalainen Maalaisliitto, which he later fused into the less ideological Maalaisväestön liitto
Centre Party (Finland)
The Centre Party is a centrist and Nordic agrarian political party in Finland. It is one of the four largest political parties in the country, along with the Social Democratic Party , the National Coalition Party and the True Finns , and currently has 35 seats in the Finnish Parliament...
(Centre Party of Finland). Alkio became the chief ideologue of the Maalaisliitto, and is still considered the father of the party in spirit. The party still refers to alkioish tendencies in some of its factions.
Alkio was a member of the Finnish House of Representatives from 1907 - 1908 and again from 1914 - 1922. He was vice-chairman of the Eduskunta in 1917 and 1918, and minister of social affairs from 1919 - 1920. He was the minister of social affairs of the Vennola government from (15 August 1919 - 15 March 1920). An ardent temperance-movement activist, he participated in drafting the Finnish Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
and also was the minister responsible for the confirmation of president
President of Finland
The President of the Republic of Finland is the nation's head of state. Under the Finnish constitution, executive power is vested in the President and the government, with the President possessing extensive powers. The President is elected directly by the people of Finland for a term of six years....
K. J. Ståhlberg.
Alkio was an extremely prolific author. He founded the newspaper Ilkka and was its editor through the years 1906 - 1930.
His likeness graced a Finnish stamp on 17 July 1962.
Alkio's views
Alkio was a fervent spokesman for democracyDemocracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
and Finnish national independence. He led the youth association movement, which above all wanted to defend the values of rural life and foster temperance and healthy living, a desire the movement held in common with the coeval Christian revivalist and labor movements.
Despite his Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
background Alkio was a strong opponent of state church
State church
State churches are organizational bodies within a Christian denomination which are given official status or operated by a state.State churches are not necessarily national churches in the ethnic sense of the term, but the two concepts may overlap in the case of a nation state where the state...
. In 1906 Alkio wrote that "We want to liberate the beautiful and simple teachings of Jesus from the tyranny of theology and that is why we would like to withdraw the support of the state from one confession and to proclaim it to all."
As a nationalist, Alkio supported the independent senate of Svinhufvud. During the summer of 1917 he had supported usurping the highest power in the land from Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
via the Power of Government Act (Lex Tulenheimo) while the parties on the right still opposed it.
Alkio thought the red revolt supported by Russian soldiers was an attempt to return Finland to Soviet Russia: "It [the revolt] is meant to set Finnish independence at nought." ("Sen [kapinan] tarkoituksena on tehdä tyhjäksi Suomen itsenäisyys.")
Alkio was also a pacifist
Pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition to war and violence. The term "pacifism" was coined by the French peace campaignerÉmile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress inGlasgow in 1901.- Definition :...
. He attributed this to the influence of Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
. On 15 January 1920 he wrote in Maan Ääni newspaper that Europe should consider the question of the United States of Europe. This article made him one of the first important proponents of European integration
European integration
European integration is the process of industrial, political, legal, economic integration of states wholly or partially in Europe...
.