7.2 Historical Survey

Finland and the Finnish national consciousness have been moulded by the country's location between east and west. Although Finns, no doubt, count themselves as part of western culture, the Finnish lifestyle has undeniably been enriched by the proximity to Russia. Finland today has, as it always had, a special closeness to both Stockholm and St. Petersburg. From the 13th century Finland was part of the Kingdom of Sweden and Finns fought in many a Swedish army. In 1809, after Sweden had lost the war against Russia, Finland was ceded to Russia and became an Autonomous Grand Duchy within Imperial Russia, its Grand Duke being the Tsar himself. During the 19th century the Finnish national awareness grew stronger. After the October Revolution in Russia in 1917, Finland declared itself independent. During World War II Finland managed to retain its independence in the Winter War and the Continuation War against Russia. Since the war, Finland has pursued a policy of military non-alliance and this created the basis for the present welfare state. Finland is a democracy in the normal western sense of the word, a parliamentary republic with a multiparty political system. The social structure in Finland is typically Nordic, resembling particularly that of Sweden. The most important recent change in Finland's position in Europe took place in the beginning of 1995, when Finland joined the European Union.

Back to Contents