Summary:

Reija Satokangas, An migration movement and political activity

The periphery–centre approach is an excellent way of analysing the spreading of new developments (e.g., industrialisation); as an analysis tool it helps to uncover cause and effect relationships.

Peripheral phenomena are often small-scale, regional and marginal. When studying these types of phenomena, microhistory and comparison appear to be useful methods. Microscopic analysis reveals phenomena that have previously eluded observation. In the analysis of the periphery–centre empirical world, the use of quantitative sources and primarily official sources does not exclude micro-level analysis, which can be compared to the entirety of the phenomenon in question. This brings to light new explaining factors that would otherwise be missed. In other words, the micro-level can supplement the macro-level.

Industrialisation and the relevant structural changes, specifically those concerning the labour force, took place in the River Kemijoki delta much like they did in the rest of Finland: industrial workers were recruited from the landless rural population. However, the special local characteristic only emerges through close examination. The microhistoric point of view reveals that an exceptionally strong and regionally wide migration movement serves to strengthen political activity.