"The balance scale of the reds": A humour maganize's depicture of Moderates being kicked out of the Social Democratic Party, and being replaced with a pack of dynamite.

Socialism in Finland is thought to stretch back to the latter half of the 19th century in the Grand Duchy of Finland, with the increasing industrialization of Finland.

19th century

The founding congress of Social Democratic Party of Finland, Turku, July 1899.

The origins of socialism in Finland were in the late 19th century, in the form of the establishment of trade unions, with the first trade unions, such as the Helsinki Worker's Association and the Tampere Worker's Association in the 1880s. Many of the trade unions did not originally promote socialist values, as a lot of them were founded by the Bourgeoisie, who supported the Wrightian labor movement, a socially liberal movement that sought to dampen the radicalization of the working class.[1]

However this did not work out as the bourgeois had hoped, as many of the trade unions later adopted socialist values, and helped in the foundation of the Finnish Labour Party, in a meeting in Turku in 1899.[2]

Former 20th century

The Social Democrats in the Former 20th century

The Finnish Labour Party, later adopting its modern name of the Social Democratic Party of Finland in 1903, following a party meeting at Forssa. The party stood for progressive rights for the time, such as:[3]

The General Strike of '05

General strike meeting in Pori, Finland, October 1905.

In 1905, following the defeat of the Russian Empire in the Russo-Japanese War and the Bloody Sunday event, the Tsardom was put into question. This revolutionary fervor had spread to Finland, following a strike of Valtionrautatiet (Finnish State Railways) workers in St. Petersburg, there was also annoyance and anger at Russian Authorities, due to the Russification of Finland.[4] In August, a large amount of Finnish Workers and High school students had demanded universal voting rights, this lead to worries in the Aristocracy and the Bourgeoisie, who began demanding the resignation of the Government, lead by the Old Finnish Party. The general strike began on 30 October in Helsinki's Senate Square and in Tampere's Keskustori by Workers, followed later by Students and Teekkari.[5] This lead to the total stop of Schooling, Factories, Shops and Offices. The strike movement later also expanded to other important locations, such as Viipuri and Oulu.

Red Declaration of Tampere (1905).

The General Strike had began to get more radical, as it originally simply started as a protest against the Russian authorities. The demands for a unicamerial parliament, were too radical for some, such as the Finland-Swedes, who were seen as the more conservative of the 'radicals', they began to detach themselves from the Revolutionary movement. On 1 November, the Red Declaration was issued in Tampere's Keskustori, the declaration demanded for voting rights for all citizens, and the disestablishment of the Senate, to be replaced by a National Parliament. These demands were then later sent to Helsinki on 4 November, at which point they were accepted.

The strike had ended in a success on 5 November, for the Working class and Finnish nationalists, due to the repealing of the February Manifesto.

Red Guards

Red Guard at the Helsinki Senate Square during the 1905 General Strike

The Origins of the Red Guards, which were socialist revolutionary paramilitary organizations, were in 1902 during a Draft Riot in Helsinki's Senate Square, however the Red Guards began to become a national idea when the National Guards were created in 1905. The National Guards originally served as a united front of workers and students against the Russian authorities in Finland.[6] However they eventually began to get more and more divided, leading to their eventual separation and the creation of the respective Red Guards and White Guards in Finland.[7] The Red and White Guards were dissolved, and would not come back officially until the Finnish Civil War.

The Civil War and Red Finland

Red Guards and Russians fighting together for the Red Finnish Government in Ruovesi, Pirkanmaa.

Following Finnish Independence and the beginning of a Civil War in Russia, the People's Delegation was established in Finland by the Finnish Red Guard and other revolutionary socialist organizations, including the most radical-wing of the Social Democratic Party. The new Red Government, took over the Government Palace in Helsinki and began their changes their ideas of a Marxist Finland there. The People's Delegation strongly opposed to the 'Red Terror' that was being done by their Red Guardsmen. The Red Government, proposed changes to the Constitution which were quite liberal and democratic, and not that authoritarian. This included the following:[8]

  • 'May such a law never be enacted in Finland, and may no administrator of a public function act in such a way that the right to the mother tongue of a minority speaking another language would be oppressed. Educational institutions working for the education of the minority in their own language should be assisted with public funds according to justice and fairness.'
  • 'Let no one be sentenced for a crime to the death penalty or to any punishment causing injury to the body or damage to health.'
  • 'All state power belongs to the people, whose representative the supreme power is exercised by the Parliament of Finland, based on the Constitution and according to the decisions of the people.'
  • 'In Finland, employees have the freedom to strike and the right to keep an eye on visitors to the workplace during a work stoppage and to urge them to leave work; likewise, they have the right orally and in writing to call on the people to shun the movement subject to a work stoppage, as well as its household and assistants or its goods.'
  • 'With a referendum, any decree of the People's Parliament, decision of the People's Delegation or other administrative authority, or court judgment can be revoked and revoked.

The Reds during the Finnish civil war quite liberal with their military policy, letting both women and men serve together, in both combatant and maintenance troops.[9] However the Red Government was also authoritarian in their banning of foreign and domestic anti-revolutionary news, which struck a cord with many people, leading to the banning of socialist newspapers in White Finland.

Communist Party of Finland

Central Committee of the Finnish Communist Party in Moscow

Following the Civil War, many of apart of the radical-wing of the Social Democratic Party, fled to Soviet Russia, especially to Soviet Karelia. In 1918, in the city of Moscow, the Communists organized the Communist Party of Finland (SKP). The SKP was banned in Finland for having tried to topple the legitimate government and therefore was made illegal to be apart of. Despite this, the SKP still operated underground in Finland, organizing events at workplaces and at public places. In these meetings illegal revolutionary material would be read. The Communist movement was under strict watch by the Finnish Secret Police and Intelligence Agency, and Communist meetings would often be broken up and Communists would be sent to prison for treason at Tammisaari or Hämeenlinna.[10]

The Communist Party would often send in agents into Finland, trying to influence the public to either bring back the Red Guard or to influence and use other almost communistic parties as their puppets in elections. However this did not work, as the Etsivä keskuspoliisi (Secret police) would often capture their informants and agents.[11]

Wartime and Socialism

Many socialists and conservatives worked together during the Winter War against the Soviet Union, because they saw the importance in Finnish independence, this lead to the rise and creation of organizations such as the Union of Finnish Brothers-In-Arms, these organizations were also made as a counter-balance against the Finland–Soviet Union Peace and Friendship Society, which was a Soviet-backed anti-war propaganda organization.

Following the Winter War, sympathizers to the Soviet Union and her actions were removed from the Social Democratic Party. These sympathizers became known as the "six" by people, and they set up their own faction within parliament known as the 'Socialist parliamentary group'.[12] The Continuation War, was a controversial topic within many mainstream parties, and it was opposed by many socialists, who viewed it as a war of aggression and saw it as unjustifiable for the Finns to be allied with Nazi Germany. This sentiment only grew as the war took more and more of a toll on Finnish living standards and as the war turned to a stalemate in East Karelia and it lead to the formation of the Peace opposition group.

Latter 20th century

The Cold War and the Social Democratic Party

The Social Democratic Party during the 1950s and 1960s was at fray with the Soviet Union and its Eastern Bloc, due to its party election of 1957 choosing Väinö Tanner to its leadership, who was a convicted war criminal.[13] This alongside other 'mishaps' by the Social Democrats lead to the Night Frost Crisis, which lead to crisis within the Social Democrats due to the Soviets not accepting the government. The Social Democrats began questionable foreign policy in hopes of warming relations with the Russians.[14] The Social Democrats were not only affected by foreign crises' but by party crises', following a party congress in 1955 which lead to a majority being reached for the support of Emil Skog, however Leskinen saw the majority support in the Party council, which held higher authority than the congress. The followers of Skog, who were more conservative social democrat, broke off from the party and formed the Social Democratic Union of Workers and Smallholders.[13]

Finnish People's Democratic League

The Finnish People's Democratic League was founded as a union of socialists, communists and others, following the Continuation War,[15] when Communism had been legalized forcefully by the Soviets.[16] The Communists held the most influence and sway within the party, due them making up the majority of the party following the most influential socialists within the party either dying or leaving it.[17] However the variety in Communism was clear, and this was a major reason for the party not outright merging with the SKP. The clear Marxist-Leninist ideology of the SKP, was a reason for not unifying the parties outright, as there were fears of Finland turning to authoritarian communism under SKP influence.

The SKDL (Finnish People's Democratic League) was often one of the major players in Finnish elections, through the 1950s to the 1980s, they were consistently in either 2nd, 3rd or 4th place.

Taistoism

Taistoism was a pro-Soviet faction within the SKP, which was highly influential and opposing to the Eurocommunist tendencies of the party's main line. The ideology was named after its core founder Taisto Sinisalo.[18] The taistoist minority was active in social circles, such as music and youth work. Leading to 'Nuortaistolaisuus' and 'Kulttuuritaistolaisuus', which mean 'Youth Taistoism' and 'Cultural Taistoism' respectively. This shaped the Political song movement of the 1970s heavily, as bands such as Agit-prop, and its record company Love Records spread communist/taistoist messaging.[19]

21st century

The Social Democratic Party and the new Millennia

Logo of the Social Democratic Party 2009–2010.

The Social Democrats in the 21st century advocate for deficit-spending to fund popular social programs, such as universal health care, among other policy ideas.[20] The party is in favor of NATO membership, LGBT rights, such as same-sex adoption rights and for the establishment of an 'environmental administration'.[21]

The Party has held office three times from 1999–, which includes the Lipponen II Cabinet, Rinne Cabinet and the Marin Cabinet.

References

  1. ↑ "KOSKESTA VOIMAA – VALTA – 1900–1918 – TAMPEREEN TYÖVÄENYHDISTYS". webpages.tuni.fi. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  2. ↑ "Puoluehistoriaa – Vaalit.fi". Archived from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  3. ↑ "SDP Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue www.sdp.fi". 28 February 2006. Archived from the original on 28 February 2006. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  4. ↑ "Suurlakko 1905 | Suojeluskunnat ja Lotta Svärd" (in Finnish). 17 July 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  5. ↑ "KOSKESTA VOIMAA – VALTA – AIKAKAUSI 1900–1918 – Suurlakko". webpages.tuni.fi. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  6. ↑ "DSpace". helda.helsinki.fi. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  7. ↑ Haapala, Pertti; Löytty, Olli; Melkas, Kukku; Tikka, Marko (2008). Kansa kaikkivaltias: Suurlakko Suomessa 1905. Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Teos. ISBN 978-951-851-167-3.
  8. ↑ "Kansanvaltuuskunnan ehdotus Suomen valtiosäännöksi 23.2.1918". www.histdoc.net. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  9. ↑ The Finnish Civil War 1918: History, Memory, Legacy. BRILL. 14 August 2014. ISBN 978-90-04-28071-7.
  10. ↑ Krekola, Joni (2006). Stalinismin lyhyt kurssi: Suomalaiset Moskovan Lenin-koulussa 1926–1938. Bibliotheca historica. Helsinki: Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura. ISBN 978-951-746-864-0.
  11. ↑ Saarela, Tauno (1996). Suomalaisen kommunismin synty 1918–1923. Helsinki: Kansan Sivistystyön Liitto. ISBN 978-951-9455-55-6.
  12. ↑ Mickelsson, Rauli (2007). Suomen puolueet: historia, muutos ja nykypäivä (in Finnish). Vastapaino. ISBN 978-951-768-217-6.
  13. 1 2 Lyytinen, Eino (1995). Mauno Koivisto: tie politiikan huipulle. Porvoo: Söderström. ISBN 978-951-0-19811-7.
  14. ↑ Karjalainen, Ahti; Tarkka, Jukka (1989). Presidentin ministeri: Ahti Karjalaisen ura Urho Kekkosen Suomessa (3. painos ed.). Helsingissä: Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-08892-9.
  15. ↑ Haikara, Kalevi (1975). Isänmaan vasen laita: SKDL 30 vuotta piikkinä kansakunnan lihassa (in Finnish). Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-02144-5.
  16. ↑ "Välirauha-sopimus". heninen.net. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  17. ↑ Viitala, Heikki Mikko (1988). Vasemmistolainen työväenliike Suomessa (in Finnish). Suomen Kommunistinen Puolue. ISBN 978-951-99933-5-5.
  18. ↑ Starck, Kathleen (19 February 2010). Between Fear and Freedom: Cultural Representations of the Cold War. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4438-2029-5.
  19. ↑ Saarikangas, Kirsi, ed. (2004). Koti, kylä, kaupunki: (1900–2000). Suomen kulttuurihistoria / [sarjan toimituskunta: Laura Kolbe, päätoimittaja .̤]. Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-31-1845-7.
  20. ↑ "Talouspoliittiset linjaukset – SDP – Talouspolitiikka". SDP (in Finnish). Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  21. ↑ "Ohjelmatyö". SDP (in Finnish). Retrieved 8 December 2023.
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