The Democratic Way 1: 150 years of representative democracy

SuomenEduskunta

5 Sept 201303:44

Summary

TLDRIn 2013, Finland celebrated 150 years since its four estates convened after a long political absence. Since 1809, Finland had been an autonomous grand duchy under Russia, governed by its senate with inherited Swedish laws. In 1863, Emperor Alexander II initiated a reform program, leading to significant legislative development. Finland became the first European country to elect its parliament by popular vote in 1907, declared independence in 1917, and established its constitution in 1919. The Finnish Parliament, directly elected by the people, plays a central role in legislation and government formation, ensuring representative democracy and EU directive compliance.

Takeaways

🎉 Finland celebrated 150 years of representative democracy in 2013, marking a significant milestone in its political history.
🏛️ Since 1809, Finland had been an autonomous grand duchy within the Russian Empire, governed by its own senate under laws inherited from Swedish rule.
📜 More extensive reforms in Finland required the approval of both the emperor and the country's representatives, leading to the opening of the Council of the Estates in 1863.
👑 Emperor Alexander II initiated the assembly of the Council of the Estates in Helsinki, tasking it with a diverse reform program in 1863.
📝 The reform program resulted in the drafting of numerous new laws and decrees, contributing to Finland's rapid development as an independent nation.
🗳️ In 1907, Finland became the first European country to elect its parliament by popular vote, a pioneering step in democratic representation.
🏛️ In 1917, the Finnish Parliament proclaimed the country's official independence, and two years later, the constitution was ratified.
👥 Authority in Finland is vested in the people, who are represented by the assembled parliament, emphasizing the principle of representative democracy.
📊 The parliament is composed of 200 members directly elected by the people, ensuring a democratic and representative legislative body.
🤝 Parliamentarians maintain contact with the voting public and interest groups, playing a central role in shaping Finnish society through legislation.
🏢 Since 2000, the Parliament has also been central to the formation of the government, scrutinizing and implementing EU directives in line with Finnish law.
🏢 The Parliament House, built specifically for the parliament, was inaugurated in 1931, providing a permanent and purpose-built venue for legislative sessions.

Q & A

What significant event occurred in 2013 for Finnish representative democracy?
-In 2013, there was a cause for celebration as it marked the 150th anniversary of the Diet session in which representatives of Finland's four estates attended after a long hiatus.
What was the status of Finland between 1809 and 1863?
-Between 1809 and 1863, Finland had the status of an autonomous grand duchy within the Russian Empire, governed by its own senate according to laws inherited from the period of Swedish rule.
Why was the Diet session opened in Helsinki on September 18th, 1863?
-The Diet session was opened by Emperor Alexander II to embark on a diverse program of reform, which required the emperor's and the country's approval for more extensive reforms and funding.
What was the result of the reforms initiated in 1863?
-The results of the reforms were the drafting of many new laws and decrees, leading to the country's rapid development as an independent nation.
In what year did Finland become the first country in Europe to elect its parliament by popular vote?
-Finland became the first country in Europe to elect its parliament by popular vote in 1907.
How did Finland officially proclaim its independence?
-Finland's independence was officially proclaimed by its parliament in late 1917 and ratified through its constitution two years later.
According to the Finnish constitution, where is the authority in Finland vested?
-According to the Finnish constitution, authority in Finland is vested in the people, represented in session by the assembled parliament.
What is the role of the parliamentarians between elections?
-Between elections, the role of the parliamentarians is to keep in contact with the voting public and various interest groups, playing a central role in shaping Finnish society through legislation.
How does the Finnish Parliament interact with the European Union directives?
-The Finnish Parliament scrutinizes European Union directives and transposes or implements them in compliance with the Finnish legislative process.
Where did the assembly initially convene in Helsinki?
-Initially, the assembly convened in Helsinki at the House of Nobility and thereafter the House of Estates.
When was the purpose-built Parliament House inaugurated?
-The purpose-built Parliament House was inaugurated in March 1931.

Outlines

00:00

🎉 Finnish Representative Democracy's Milestone

The script begins by celebrating 150 years of Finnish representative democracy since the Diet session in 1863. Finland, an autonomous grand duchy within the Russian Empire, had its own senate but required the emperor's approval for extensive reforms. Emperor Alexander II opened the Council of the Estates in Helsinki, initiating a reform program that led to new laws and the country's rapid development as an independent nation. In 1907, Finland made history as the first European country to elect its parliament by popular vote, which eventually led to official independence in 1917 and the ratification of its constitution two years later.

🏛️ The Evolution of Finnish Parliament and Its Role

This paragraph delves into the workings of the Finnish Parliament, emphasizing its central role in shaping society through legislation. The Parliament, directly elected by the people, consists of 200 members who maintain contact with the public and various interest groups. It is responsible for enacting laws proposed by the government, which must have the Parliament's confidence according to the constitution. Since 2000, the Parliament has also played a key role in government formation. Additionally, it scrutinizes and implements EU directives in accordance with Finnish law. The script also touches on the history of the Parliament's meeting places, from the House of Nobility to the House of Estates, and the eventual inauguration of the purpose-built Parliament House in 1931.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Representative Democracy

Representative democracy is a type of democracy where citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf. In the context of the video, it is the political system in Finland that allows the people to have their voices heard through elected members of parliament. The video highlights the celebration of the 150th anniversary of this system in Finland, emphasizing its importance in the country's political history and development.

💡Diet Session

A diet session refers to a meeting of a legislative body, in this case, the council of the estates in Finland. The video script mentions that representatives of Finland's four estates attended the diet session in 1863, marking a significant event in the country's political representation after a long hiatus.

💡Autonomous Grand Duchy

An autonomous grand duchy is a territory with a high degree of self-governance, yet still under the sovereignty of another state. The script explains that Finland had this status within the Russian Empire, governed by its own senate according to laws inherited from the Swedish rule, which indicates a level of independence while still being part of a larger political entity.

💡Emperor Alexander II

Emperor Alexander II of Russia is a historical figure who played a crucial role in the political landscape of Finland. The video script notes that it was he who opened the assembly of the council of the estates in Helsinki, thereby initiating a series of reforms that would shape the country's future.

💡Reform

Reform refers to the act of making changes to improve or update a system or institution. The script describes how the assembly of the council of the estates was tasked with embarking on a diverse program of reform, which led to the drafting of new laws and the country's rapid development.

💡Popular Vote

Popular vote is a method of electing representatives where the decision is made by a majority of the voters. The video script mentions that in 1907, Finland became the first country in Europe to elect its parliament by popular vote, signifying a milestone in the country's democratic evolution.

💡Independence

Independence, in a political context, refers to the state of being free from the control of another country or entity. The script recounts how Finland's parliament proclaimed the country officially independent in 1917, marking a pivotal moment in its history.

💡Constitution

A constitution is a fundamental principle or set of principles according to which a state is governed. The video script refers to the ratification of Finland's constitution two years after its independence, which established the authority of the people and the role of the parliament in the country's governance.

💡Elections

Elections are formal decisions made by voters on who should hold public office. The script explains that representative democracy in Finland is underpinned by the regular holding of elections, where citizens vote freely for candidates put forward by political parties.

💡Legislation

Legislation is the process of making, modifying, or repealing laws. The video script highlights the central role of the Finnish parliament in shaping society through legislation, enacted by the government of the day which should enjoy the confidence of the parliament.

💡Parliament House

A parliament house is the building where a country's legislative body meets. The script describes the history of the Finnish parliament's meeting places, from the house of nobility to the purpose-built parliament house inaugurated in 1931, reflecting the growth and importance of the legislative body.

Highlights

Finnish representative democracy celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2013.

150 years since representatives of Finland's four estates attended the Diet session after a long hiatus.

Finland had the status of autonomous grand duchy within the Russian Empire from 1809.

Finland's senate governed according to laws inherited from the Swedish rule period.

Reforms and their funding required approval from the emperor and the country.

Emperor Alexander II opened the assembly of the Council of the Estates in Helsinki on September 18th, 1863.

The Diet was tasked with a diverse reform program resulting in new laws and decrees.

Finland's rapid development as an independent nation was a result of these reforms.

In 1907, Finland was the first European country to elect its parliament by popular vote.

Parliament proclaimed Finland's official independence in late 1917.

The constitution was ratified two years after independence, vesting authority in the people.

Representative democracy in Finland is supported by regular elections and direct parliamentary representation.

Parliamentarians maintain contact with the public and interest groups between elections.

The Finnish Parliament plays a central role in shaping society through legislation.

The government enacts laws with the confidence of the Parliament, as per the constitution.

Since 2000, Parliament has a central role in the formation of the government.

Parliament scrutinizes and implements EU directives in compliance with Finnish legislative processes.

The assembly initially convened in Helsinki at the House of Nobility and later the House of Estates.

The Parliament House was inaugurated in March 1931, specifically built to accommodate the parliament.