Open AccessTHE FINNISH MODEL OF CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL SPHERES OF THE FIRST HALF OF THE 18th CENTURY
Author(s) -
Nadezhda Stanislavovna Bratchikova
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
ežegodnik finno-ugorskih issledovanij
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2311-0333
pISSN - 2224-9443
DOI - 10.35634/2224-9443-2020-14-2-293-303
Subject(s) - sociology , faith , politics , population , enlightenment , power (physics) , gender studies , political science , law , philosophy , physics , demography , theology , quantum mechanics
The article deals with the structure of multilingual cultural and educational spheres of Finland in the first half of the XVIII century. The study identifies specific features of the Enlightenment society model. These features originated due to the subordination of Finland to the Kingdom of Sweden, multilingualism in society, common faith and political immaturity of the population. In the description of the social and cultural spheres of Finnish society, the economic situation of each region was taken into account. The study is based on the legislative acts, which regulated the style of life in the society, and life activity of the leading socio-political figures and clerics, who actively tried to arouse the sympathy of those in power to the Finnish people. The article analyses the activity of such supporters of Finnish culture and language as, for example, J. Gezelius the Younger, G. Tuderus, A. Lizelius, priests of the Akrenius family. The paper examines their contribution to the formation of Finnish identity and Finnish culture as a whole. In essence, the work of these very priests and public figures was the forerunner of the fennophilic movement. D. Juslenius is considered to be the father of the movement. The proposed study pays particular attention to the development of the school system in Finland. To establish the Lutheran faith and strengthen the institution of state power, the following actions were made. The state sought to develop a public education system in order to increase the competence of officials and clergy and teach the population literacy. The article describes the difficulties encountered in the implementation of the program to educate the population. The multilingualism of the society at that time was as follows. The majority spoke only Finnish, intellectuals spoke Latin and Swedish, while traders and industrialists communicated in German and other Western European languages. In the first half of the 18th century, the Swedish language became widely used inside the academic community. The reasons for such a transition are presented in the article. The author of the study concludes that during the period under review the language didn’t play a key role in the union of the nation. The main contributors were Lutheran faith and devotion to the Swedish king.