2025/10/14 by Timo Aava · 2 voices · 1 citation
Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · #Historical Geopolitical and Social Dynamics #Historical and Contemporary Political Dynamics #Polish Historical and Cultural Studies
paper · doi:10.1080/01629778.2025.2559988
openalex publication_date 2025/10/14 · openalex created_date 2025/10/15 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
This article revisits theoretical debates over group rights and their impact on the individual in a democratic setting by looking at the Estonian example of collective minority self-government in the 1920s and 1930s. Several authors have analyzed the compatibility of group rights within a liberal democratic system, highlighting the possibility of overriding the interests of individuals. The article shows the importance of flexible membership criteria and highlights some of the instances where potential conflict did not materialize. It further touches upon cases when the majority within the institution implemented its policies and marginalized weaker groups, and more ambivalent outcomes, such as the impact on women.