A Short History of Finland - Key Points Summary

• Second edition of 'A Short History of Finland' is presented as a readable introduction to Finland and its people for tourists, students, specialists, and business people.
• The book traces Finland's historical development from its settlement in the first millennium AD to the present, covering its connections with Sweden and complex relations with Russia.
• It also explores Finland's post-war achievements as the second republic.
• The author illustrates how the nation attained a high material standard of living, along with social and political stability, despite its unfavorable geopolitical situation, all by adapting to its environment.
• The second edition includes revisions and updates by Emeritus Professor A. F. Upton that address the break-up of the Soviet Union and Finland's entry into the European Union in 1995.
• Sadly, the original author, Fred Singleton, passed away shortly before the first edition's publication.

Contents Overview

• The book includes a list of maps for historical and contemporary boundaries of Finland
• Preface describes the author's intentions and hopes for the book.
• Chapter 1 is an introduction to the history of Finland, including its land and people.
• Chapter 2 discusses Finland and Sweden, including Gustavus Vasa and the Reformation, and the struggle for supremacy in Northern Europe.
• Chapter 3 covers Finland, Sweden, and Russia in the eighteenth century, including the Anjala League and Finland under the Tsars.
• Chapter 4 discusses the Finnish national awakening and the language question.
• Chapter 5 describes the Finnish economy in the nineteenth century.
• Chapter 6 covers the political development of Finland from 1863-1917, including Russification and the First World War.
• Chapter 7 discusses independent Finland and its political life from 1919-1939, along with economic and social conditions in the inter-war period.
• Chapter 8 explores Finland in the Second World War, including the Winter War, uneasy peace, and the Continuation War.
• Chapter 9 examines Finland in the post-war world, focusing on the political situation.
• Chapter 10 discusses the economy of Finland in the twentieth century.
• Chapter 11 delves into the spirit of Finland, covering national identity, family life, social services, alcoholism, sport, design, literature, music, and the Church.
• Includes appendices and a bibliography by John J. Horton.

Dedication and Preface

• Book dedicated to His Excellency Mauno Koivisto, President of Finland.
• The author expresses his hope readers enjoy the book, highlighting Finland's frequent ignorance and misunderstanding, especially in the English-speaking world.
• Notes that there is no book available that includes a summary of Finnish geography, history, and an assessment of the country's present position in the modern world.
• Acknowledges Bill Mead's contributions to Finnish economic geography and his work on Aland Islands.
• Explains the book, 'Economy of Finland in the Twentieth Century' (that should have followed this book), was printed first due to publishing and health unpredictability.

Finland: A Unique Nation

• The author hopes to repay Finnish friends for enriching his life with their knowledge of Finland.
• Recalls experiences in Finland, highlighting its natural beauty, including midsummer nights, winter forests, boating, swimming, and ice fishing.
• Notes publishers produced the book because Finland teaches the world how a small nation in a world of giants can survive and prosper by understanding its community of nations.
• Finland's prosperity allows its citizens to enjoy a graceful lifestyle, free of stress and paranoia.
• Finland chose neutrality and contributes to world peace through the United Nations.
• Highlights the YYA Treaty with the USSR (1948), often misunderstood, and the misuse of the term 'Finlandization'.
• This book appears when there seems to be a break in international gridlock, with Finland playing a role since the 1975 Helsinki Summit Conference.
• Singleton hopes the book helps readers understand Finland's present standing in the world and why the country should be accounted for when observing international relations.

Acknowledgments

• The author accepts responsibility for the content and acknowledges help from Finnish and British friends and colleagues.
• Expresses gratitude to the Moring family for their patience and good humor.
• Singleton also expresses gratitude to Ele Alenius, he met in 1949 at a rally commemorating the Social Democratic Party's golden jubilee.
• Acknowledges friendship with Finns across the political spectrum, sharing a love for Finland.
• Praises Mrs. Elizabeth Wetton, the editor, and Mike Lear, the map drawer.
• Expresses deep appreciation for his family's support during his illness, acknowledging their role in helping him fulfill his promises to himself and his publishers.

Corrections and Contributions

• Fred Singleton's family expresses their gratitude to Mr. J. J. Horton, Deputy Librarian of the J. B. Priestley Library, Bradford University, for his major contribution in correcting the text and compiling the bibliography.

Finland: A Unique Nation

• The Finns are unique, as their Finno-Ugrian language is unrelated to their neighbors.
• They were connected to Tsarist Russia after 1809 but preserved autonomy, which allowed them to nurture culture.
• They emerged as a nation-state after the Russian revolution.
• In 1919, they adopted a republican constitution that included democratic reforms from 1906.
• They were the first in Europe to give equal voting rights to both men and women.
• In March 1917, Oskari Tokoi was the first democratically elected socialist prime minister, but his authority was disputed.
• Finland started its independent life haunted by a Civil War in 1918.
• In 1939, this small nation was invaded by the Soviet Union, fought for four months, and sued for peace while retaining independence.
• In 1941, they joined Germany to recover losses in the war with Russia.
• By 1944, Finland withdrew, made peace with Russia, and expelled German forces from Lapland.
• Today, Finland is prosperous, socially progressive, stable, and peace-loving, despite its northern location and lack of natural resources.
• The Finns' economy is successful, with high standards of living and contributions to medicine, science/tech, and sports, setting an example of combining progress with graceful living.

The Land of Finland: Isolation and Late Integration

• Finland's geographical position isolates it on the European fringe, causing European events to arrive late and weakly.
• Christianity arrived in Finland in the twelfth century, a millennium after reaching Britain.
• Recognizable contours of Finland's development do not appear until the thirteenth century.
• Early Finnish history relies on archaeology, prehistory, folklore, and legend.
• Tacitus mentioned the Fenni in 98 AD; Idrisi described the land in the twelfth century.
• A Papal Bull from 1172 refers to established Christianity but notes weak faith among Finns.
• Tradition suggests Swedish crusaders converted Finns earlier in the twelfth century, including Bishop Henry of Uppsala.
• Obscurity before the thirteenth century stems from geographical isolation.
• Remote land offered little to attract conquerors or traders.
• Archaeological evidence shows first settlers arriving 10,000 years ago, settling the southern coast between the Gulfs of Finland and Bothnia.

Impact of the Ice Age on Finland's Geography

• The last ice age profoundly impacted Finland's geography, forming thousands of lakes in the central regions that cover almost 10% of the surface.
• These lakes were important for transport and industry, used for boats in the summer and sleds/skis in the winter.
• The lakes also provided an easy method of transporting logs to sawmills.
• The presence of these large masses of water positively affected the micro-climate of the lake plateau.
• As the ice-cap shrank, it left behind moraines that formed the Salpausselka ridges, which cross the country and provide routeways, building materials, and ski slopes.
• Smaller ridges derived from fluvio-glacial material form chains of eskers, creating high-level causeways across the lakes and swamps.
• Jaaman Kangas and Punkaharju carry important roads in central and eastern remote areas.
• Much of the farmland is laid down during the Ice Age and nurtures the forests and forms the soils for growing crops.

Finland's Ancient Bedrock and Mineral Resources

• The Ice Age changes took place on a platform of ancient rocks, part of the Fenno-Scandian shield.
• Bedrock is formed of granites, quartzite schists, gneisses, and metamorphic rocks from pre-Cambrian times.
• Virtually no deposition occurred during the periods sedimentary rocks were deposited in Britain and western Europe.
• The rocks do not contain fossil fuels for energy sources, lacking Carboniferous coal deposits or North Sea oil-bearing strata.
• Finland relies on wood, hydro-electric power and peat, but must mostly import fuels.
• Coal is imported from Britain and Poland, while oil and gas come from Russia.
• The ancient rocks of Finland are rich sources of mineral ores like copper at Outokumpu, discovered in 1912.
• Outokumpu deposits yield iron, zinc, cobalt, nickel, tin, gold, silver, and sulphur.
• The Petsamo region had a large nickel deposit, lost to the Soviet Union in 1944 after being under German control during World War II.
• Finland also produces non-ferrous metals and titanium, vanadium for high-grade steel, graphite, feldspar, quartz, and clay for pottery and glass-making.
• Surplus granite is exported for building, and limestone is used in the iron, steel, and building industries.

Isostatic Recovery and Climate Influences

• The final melting of the ice-cap caused isostatic recovery, raising the land surface, with rates varying from 100 cm/century in the Gulf of Finland to 40 cm in Helsinki.
• Finland has grown in area as the sea has receded, requiring the construction of new outports like Mantyluoto for Pori.
• The land area of Finland increases at $1,000 { km}^2$ per century due to uplift and sediment deposition.
• Differential land uplift tilts the land and drains lake basins, but Finland still has about 55,000 lakes (defined as bodies of water with at least one dimension measuring over $200 { m}$.).
• Lake Saimaa is the largest lake system, occupying an area of $4,400 { km}^2$, and provides an inland water route.
• Rivers draining the lakes are mainly quite short, utilized for generating hydroelectricity and transporting logs.
• Many rivers are supplemented by short canals, such as the Murole canal (1854) and the Saimaa canal.
• The North Atlantic Drift warms the climate of Finland, allowing ice-free waters to extend beyond the 70th parallel, distinguishing it from colder regions like Alaska and Siberia.
• Precipitation varies from $500 { mm}$ in the north to $620 { mm}$ in the south, with the southwest tip exceeding $880 { mm}$. Snowfall and frost incidence vary, with the Russian border region experiencing the greatest depth of snow and frost incidence.
• Ports are kept open by ice breakers, but severe winters can disrupt shipping and freeze the Aland Islands in, allowing cars to pass over the ice between Sweden and Finland.
• Summers are warm and pleasant with long days, and Helsinki has an average of nine hours of sunshine between May and August.

Agricultural Adaptations and Economic Considerations

• While tundras of northern Canada and Siberia match Lapland's latitudes, dwarf birch, willow, and mountain heath thrive in Lapland.
• Growing seasons are adequate with spring wheat able to be grown in most southern areas, and rye, barley and oats in central areas.
• Grass and potatoes can survive nearly throughout the country, supporting grazing and dairy farming in suitable areas.
• Finnish farmers extract value from adequate soils, although regions in Oulu province with peat bogs resist farming.
• Subsidies once encouraged farmers to increase output but are now designed to get them to grow trees or retire from farming.
• Adjusting to the demanding, cold, and dark Finnish winters, however, takes a heavy toll on the people and the economy.
• Calculating the cost of winter includes costs of mitigating it, protecting against it, and costs accruing from its damages.
• It also includes benefits from its opportunities, such as its effect on sports, lumbering, and technological enterprise.
• Computation of the 1962-3 winter’s cost suggested around 4% of GDP equated to approximately £17 per person; however, it has been contested that this figure is too low.

Forestry and Natural Resources

• Finland's primary resource is its forests, covering over two-thirds of the country, featuring mainly pine, spruce, birch, alder, and aspen trees.
• Unsustainable practices until the nineteenth century led to demand for timber increase at the time of Western European nations' economic expansion.
• Modern forestry is conducted scientifically, emphasizing conservation, with half the forest area owned by farmers, yielding essential income.
• Wood-based industries form largest industrial group, constituting a substantial portion of the country's export value.
• As a renewable resource, proper felling practices ensure forest resources seemingly inexhaustible by maintaining cooperation with what nature offers.
• Finns have learned this cooperation in many aspects of national life.