Taistolaisuus

Taistolaisuus (after the Finnish first name 'Taisto', sometimes translated as "Taistoism" in English) was a orthodox pro-Soviet tendency in the mostly Eurocommunist Finnish communist movement in 1970s and 1980s. The Taistoists were an interior opposition group in the Communist Party of Finland. They were named after their leader Taisto Sinisalo whose first name means "a battle", "a fight" or "a struggle". Sinisalo's supporters constituted a party within a party, but pressure from the Communist Party of the Soviet Union prevented the party from formally splitting.

The opposition was expelled from the party 1985–1986 and it formed the Communist Party of Finland (Unity), which took the name "Communist Party of Finland" after the original party's bankruptcy in 1992.

Some of the former Taistoists later joined the Left Alliance or have since abandoned Communism altogether.

Notable former Taistoists

* Satu Hassi, MEP
* Jaakko Laakso, MP
* Taisto Sinisalo, movement leader
* Esko-Juhani Tennilä, MP
* Björn Wahlroos, investor and CEO

Further reading

* "Hermannschlacht, Taistoismus und unpolitischer Finne" by Andreas Dörner, Matti Hyvärinen and Kari Palonen de icon
* "Taistolaisuuden musta kirja" ("The Black Book of Taistoism") by Ilkka Kylävaara fi icon
* "The Finnish Communist Party in the Finnish Political System 1963-1982" by Jukka Paastela