The Rise of The Vaps: Estonia\u27s Path to Right-Wing Authoritarianism in the Interwar Period

Abstract

The present-day world has begun to see an unsettling trend as far right-wing movements have become much more prominent and even seized power in the Western world. Across Europe, far-right movements have gained popularity amongst populations over the last decade, and the trend has become glaringly obvious with the recent election results in the United States. History provides us with a parallel to the rise of the far right to political prominence, as only a century prior in the Interwar Period, many nations descended down the path of far-right movements. Most far-right movements and strongmen seized power through undemocratic means, except in the small Baltic nation of Estonia. This essay explores the rise of the far-right movement in Estonia in the Interwar period, and what reasons led to the Estonian population voting for them in 1934. Through the reasons discussed in the essay on why this movement became so popular, a warning from history can be served to our world today on why populations today are flirting with these movements. It is essential not just to write off more radical movements, but to understand the underlying causes that cause people to turn to these democratically dangerous alternatives.