"Finland had a civil war less than 100 years ago, just like in Ireland. If you look at the history of newly independent nations, civil war is almost every time present, even in the United States"
About this Quote
Harri Holkeri draws a parallel between the recent histories of Finland and Ireland, highlighting that both countries experienced civil wars not long after achieving independence. By referencing Finland’s civil war, which took place in 1918 following its declaration of independence in 1917, and Ireland’s conflict after its own split from Britain, namely the Irish Civil War of 1922-1923, Holkeri suggests a broader pattern observable in the paths to nationhood. His commentary implies that the turmoil surrounding civil war is almost an expected passage for states emerging from colonial or imperial rule.
Civil wars, in Holkeri’s view, seem to be nearly universal among nations coming into independence. These conflicts can be understood as intense, often violent disputes over the direction, identity, or future governance of a new state. These are moments when cleavages, social, ideological, ethnic, or class-based, surface with force because the former shared enemy (such as an imperial power) is gone, leaving underlying divisions exposed. The struggle over the proverbial ‘soul of the nation’ plays out not just politically but on battlefields, as factions compete to lay the foundation for a new society.
The allusion to the United States is particularly potent, since its civil war occurred decades after independence, yet arose from unresolved contradictions left over from the founding era, especially those regarding slavery and federal versus state power. Mentioning the US elevates Holkeri’s argument beyond merely small or recent states, pointing out that even the world’s most established democracies are not immune from such strife. In sum, the pattern Holkeri observes is that the birth or re-birth of nations is frequently turbulent; civil conflict is not a rarity but, troublingly, almost a crucible through which new national identities are forged. This observation serves as both a warning and a reflection on the fragility of nation-building.
Civil wars, in Holkeri’s view, seem to be nearly universal among nations coming into independence. These conflicts can be understood as intense, often violent disputes over the direction, identity, or future governance of a new state. These are moments when cleavages, social, ideological, ethnic, or class-based, surface with force because the former shared enemy (such as an imperial power) is gone, leaving underlying divisions exposed. The struggle over the proverbial ‘soul of the nation’ plays out not just politically but on battlefields, as factions compete to lay the foundation for a new society.
The allusion to the United States is particularly potent, since its civil war occurred decades after independence, yet arose from unresolved contradictions left over from the founding era, especially those regarding slavery and federal versus state power. Mentioning the US elevates Holkeri’s argument beyond merely small or recent states, pointing out that even the world’s most established democracies are not immune from such strife. In sum, the pattern Holkeri observes is that the birth or re-birth of nations is frequently turbulent; civil conflict is not a rarity but, troublingly, almost a crucible through which new national identities are forged. This observation serves as both a warning and a reflection on the fragility of nation-building.
Quote Details
| Topic | War |
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