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The present Government of Finland on coming into power executed in cold blood within a few days' time 16,700 members of the old Socialist Republic, and imprisoned in starvation camps 70,000 more. Meanwhile the total executions in Russia for the year ended November 1, 1918, were officially stated to have been 3,800, including many corrupt Soviet of officials as well as counter-revolutionists. The Finnish Government was infinitely more terroristic than the Russian.

Vladimir Lenin#54

PoliticsHistoryHuman rightsTerrorism

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About this quote

What does it mean?
Lenin compares Finnish terror to Russian, claiming Finland executed more socialists and was more terroristic.
In plain terms
Finland killed more socialists than Russia and was more terroristic.
What can you take from it?
Repressive actions can be more severe in smaller states.

Where it applies

  • comparative politics
  • human rights reports
  • Cold War studies

Putting it to work

  • expose state-sponsored terror
  • advocate for legal accountability

Questions to consider

  • What evidence supports these casualty figures?
  • How do political narratives influence perceptions of terror?

Another view

Numbers are presented without source verification, risking inaccuracy.

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