Karl-August Fagerholm - 1930s

1930s

Fagerholm had in his youth briefly been chairman (1920–23) of the Barbers' Union. In 1930 he was elected member of Finland's Parliament. Both in the 1920s and in the 1930s, the main challenge for the Social Democrats was the rehabilitation after the Finnish Civil War, in which the Social Democrats had belonged to the defeated side. A revival of anti-Socialist opinion had in Finland like in many countries in Continental Europe led to a right-wing turn in the public opinion and the emerge of the semi-fascist Lapua Movement. As one of the consequences, Socialists were barred from Cabinet 1929–37. When, finally, principles of parliamentarism again were heeded in 1937, Fagerholm became Minister for Social Affairs in a series of Cabinets 1937–1943.

In government, Fagerholm was one of the chief executors of the neutralist Scandinavia-orientation, that in the 1930s increasingly had been seen as Finland's deliverance from the danger of Russian expansionism – both by Conservatives and Socialists – a danger that seemed to have increased with fierce Soviet anti-Capitalist sentiments being met with equally fierce anti-Bolshevist sentiments in Finland. As native Swedish speaker, Social Democrat, former Union leader, and head of the Ministry for Social Affairs, he was just cut out for this task. The time given was however too short.