The School for Democracy: Co-operation and the Authoritarian State in 1930s Estonia.

This article explores the complex relationship between the cooperative movement and the authoritarian state in Estonia from 1934 to 1940. It analyses the dynamics, connections, and tensions that emerged between the co-operative movement - traditionally seen as a grassroots initiative - and the organic-statist, centralising corporatist model promoted by authoritarian regimes across Europe during the interwar period. To begin, the article provides a comprehensive overview of the general shifts in the autonomy of the co-operative movement in Estonia following the introduction of authoritarian rule. Additionally, it analyses the role of the co-operative movement as a potential platform for democratic opposition during the authoritarian period of the 1930s. Finally, the article highlights the fluidity of boundaries between the co-operative from-below and organic-statist corporative models, exemplified through a case study of the Chamber of Co-operative Societies launched in the mid-1930s, an initiative originating from co-operative activists themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]