Iran at a Crossroads: From Islamist Rule Toward Democracy?

Iranians are protesting—according to Finnish news sources (Yle, Uutissuomalainen)—because of the deterioration of the country’s economy. According to these reports, the background lies in the sanctions imposed on Iran by Western countries, but I would believe that the unrest has also been influenced by the religious leaders’ earlier saber-rattling toward Israel, which ended in humiliation.

The Islamists who lead the country have resorted to harsh measures against the demonstrators, and the situation has therefore escalated. By contrast, President Masoud Pezeshkian has urged the interior minister to listen to the protesters’ “legitimate demands.”

* * *

An interesting additional dimension to this situation has been introduced by Reza Pahlavi, the son of the shah who ruled the country before the Islamist regime. For some time now, he has been seeking to stir the Iranian people into revolution. Yesterday he published a message on social media in which he called on “the people of Iran to join in with the nationwide strikes and protests: government employees, workers in the energy and transportation sectors, truck drivers, nurses, teachers and academics, artisans and entrepreneurs, retirees and those who have lost their savings—everyone, unite and join this national movement.”

In addition, he called on “Iranians abroad—from Australia and East Asia to Europe and North America—to redouble your activities within the framework of the ‘Rise Iran’ campaign to amplify the voice of the Iranian people to the media, international institutions, foreign governments, and parliaments.” and declared that “we will win because we are united and we are many.”

As the year changes tonight, I would like, for my part, to express the hope that Iranians will finally succeed in toppling the Islamists from power and move their ancient homeland from medieval totalitarianism toward democracy—and begin a process that, over time, would lead to a weakening of religious fanaticism throughout the Middle East and Central Asia.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Donald J. Trump
Finnish Ex-Military Chief: U.S. Likely Halted Iran’s Nuclear Weapons Program
Will Power Change Hands in Iran?

Two Recent Life-Threatening Crimes in Finland

A recent news report stated that a 15-year-old student at a Finnish school had stabbed another student of the same age. According to the police, the perpetrator is currently at large, but his identity is known.

No description of the attacker has been released in the news reports, so I looked into what kind of school the incident took place in. The school is located in Lahti, a city of about 120,000 residents roughly an hour’s drive from Helsinki.

According to an education website, the school serves not only degree-preparatory students but also lower secondary students in grades 7–9, students in flexible basic education, and those in preparatory education for immigrants. The school has a total of about 660 students and offers specialized instruction in sports and STEM subjects.

Salpausselkä Comprehensive School was founded in 1957, and an extensive renovation was completed in 2017. The facilities are modern and multipurpose. There are about 60 teachers, teaching assistants, and other staff members in total. The school engages in international cooperation with partner schools abroad and maintains broad partnerships with local companies.

The aforementioned degree-preparatory program is intended for learners who do not yet have a secondary qualification and who, for one reason or another, need preparatory training — in practice, this means immigrants or Finnish students who have dropped out of school.

It remains to be seen when the police will apprehend the attacker — and what information about them will eventually be made public.

* * *

The school stabbing in Lahti is not the only recent act of violence making headlines. Yesterday, in Helsinki, a 20-year-old young man reportedly attempted to shoot a 16-year-old boy he knew.

According to a police spokesperson, “extensive investigative measures have been carried out, through which we have been able to clarify further details about the course of events. Based on this information, I consider that the suspected act meets the criteria for attempted murder.”

It thus appears that Finland may be rapidly following what is often referred to as “the Swedish path” — marked by a sharp increase in violent crimes connected to the country’s demographic changes in recent decades, something Swedish authorities have been warning their Finnish counterparts about for years.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Attitudes Toward Immigrants Are a Problem in Schools
678 Bomb Attacks in Six Months: Netherlands Faces Alarming Trend
Burning a Man Alive Led to Life Imprisonment

An Economist’s Fact-Based Response to Polarizing Tax Claims

A social democratic think tank recently sought to fuel polarization between low- and high-income earners by claiming that the government’s decision to slightly ease tax progression would only benefit the very highest earners. To support this argument, the think tank used euro-denominated comparisons, which naturally make the differences appear large—especially between the very top earners and the rest of the population.

This narrative was swallowed whole by Finland’s two biggest media outlets—namely the publicly owned Yleisradio and the privately owned Helsingin Sanomat. Both repeated the claims without any critical scrutiny, effectively acting as a loudspeaker for a politically aligned left-wing think tank. Their coverage was soon challenged by Sami Pakarinen, Chief Economist of the Confederation of Finnish Industries, who presented a series of facts on social media.

* * *

According to Pakarinen, “Finland will lower its top marginal tax rate at the beginning of next year from 58% to 52%. This has been recommended for years, as Finland’s top rates are among the very highest in the world.”

He elaborated by noting: “In 2017, the IMF recommended that the top marginal rate should be capped at 44%. The OECD average is around 35%. Even after the reform, Finland remains well above this ceiling.”

Pakarinen also reminded readers that “the top 14% of earners pay 49% of all income taxes. When it comes to net public transfers, the top decile shoulders the lion’s share.” In fact, he emphasized that “Finland redistributes income through taxation more than any other OECD country.”

Furthermore, contrary to the social democratic think tank’s claims, he argued that “the self-financing ratio of the tax cut is very likely above 100%. In other words, by lowering taxes, the state will actually collect more revenue. Recent research points in this direction, and there is finally a growing consensus among economists.”

* * *

For international readers, it is worth noting that research shows the majority of journalism students in Finland lean toward the green-left. Perhaps this helps to explain why Finland’s otherwise exceptionally free press—at least in international comparison—can nevertheless appear remarkably one-sided. In practice, it often leans toward planned-economy thinking and value liberalism, as this very case illustrates.

As a result of all this, one is entitled to ask: what exactly are Yleisradio and Helsingin Sanomat aiming at by repeating the left’s polarizing and misleading claims as if they were facts? A society divided along American lines—or even outright revolution?

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Jesuit Morality in Crime Reporting on Immigrants
Citizen Journalism, Free Speech, and EU Challenges
Why Were Violent Protests Acceptable for George Floyd but Not for the UK Child Murders?

Has Modern Education Strayed Too Far — and Is It Time to Change Course?

Finnish basic education was once the best in the world — at least if measured by PISA success. Unfortunately, Finnish children’s results in these tests have been declining for nearly 20 years.

The reasons for this trend have been debated in Finland, but the general view is that the root cause lies in changes to the principles of teaching, in such a way that students are required to have less and less precise knowledge. At the same time, teaching methods have shifted toward giving students significantly more freedom during lessons, and instruction has proceeded at the pace of the weakest pupils.

In addition, it appears that students have been moved up from one grade to the next even in cases where they have not mastered the objectives set for that level. Meanwhile, the most gifted pupils have been left without sufficient instruction. In this process, integrating children from developing countries into teaching has also led to classroom disruptions.

* * *

This issue was brought up today by Member of Parliament Jorma Piisinen (Finns Party), who stated: “We must acknowledge the facts. Not everyone is the same, and neither are learning needs identical. Talent is not elitism but a national resource that must be nurtured just as much as supporting the weakest.”

He further demanded that “gifted young people be allowed to grow to their full potential.” If that were to happen, “Finland would gain future makers who would move our country forward.”

According to Piisinen, paying attention to gifted youth “is not only in the interest of the individual, but of society as a whole. A fair school forgets no one. Not even the best.”

In my view, it would be important for Finland’s future that the MP’s proposal be taken into account when deciding on Finnish education policy — despite the fact that the minister responsible, Anders Adlercreutz (Swedish People’s Party), represents the most value-liberal wing of the government, for whom a return to the old teaching methods and principles — which produced good results — is likely to be unappealing from the outset.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Police to Finnish Graduates: Leave Fireworks, Blades, and Booze at Home
Marx in the Classroom: How Ideological Education Shaped Careers and Values

A Fair Game or Unfair Judgment?

Green Politician: "I'm Glad We Never Gained Real Political Power"

The Finnish politician Satu Hassi has served as a minister, a Member of the European Parliament, and the chairperson of the Green League. In other words, she has been one of the most prominent politicians of her generation.

Satu Hassi is known for her work in the Green Party, but as a young student, she was a member of the governing body of the Socialist Student League, the student wing of an extreme leftist and pro-Soviet faction within the Finnish Communist Party. In effect, she was involved in what could be considered the most dangerous political movement in independent Finland—one that, if it had come to power, might have led to Finland becoming part of the Soviet Union.

This group, known as the taistolaiset (after a leading figure in the movement), at its peak held 13 seats in the Finnish Parliament, making it a serious political force that enjoyed strong support from Leonid Brezhnev’s Soviet Union. One of the first political statements made by the student movement run by this faction—which included Hassi as a member—was to endorse the 1968 occupation of Czechoslovakia. That stance arguably says more about the movement’s political character than a thousand words ever could.

* * *

Now retired from active politics, Satu Hassi has returned to the public eye and spoken about her thoughts from that time. According to her, “perhaps we had heard too many wartime hero stories from our fathers and wanted to fight our own heroic war—in this case, against imperialism.”

In her interview, she also admits to having drawn “foolish conclusions” after embracing Marxist-Leninist ideology, and she reflects: “I’m glad we never gained real political power. The taistolaiset were only strong in certain cultural organizations.”

She also acknowledged noticing injustices during visits to the Soviet Union, but chose not to speak about them even with fellow ideologues. Instead, she closed her eyes to the things she didn’t want to see.

Hassi’s confession as a former Member of the European Parliament is interesting in many ways. First, admitting one's own mistakes is relatively rare—but in her case, the value of that admission is diminished by the fact that it came only after she had left politics.

Second, Hassi did not distance herself from totalitarian circles after making her observations. Instead, she joined the Green Party as a standard-bearer of its left wing, which eventually displaced the economically liberal politicians who had initially led the party. In other words, she never truly grasped the societal harm caused by the concentration of political power and centrally planned economies, and remained a supporter of a totalitarian societal model until the end of her political career.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Why Finnish Youth Are Abandoning the Green Party
Why Does the Political Green-Left Lie, and Why Does It Resonate with the People?
The Green Movement is Withering – And That’s Not a Bad Thing

May Day Reflections from a President—and a Student

The former President of Finland, Sauli Niinistö, was both a lawyer and a politician during his career. That combination is not particularly rare, but what is unusual is a former head of state openly sharing memories from his student days.

Niinistö was likely inspired by the upcoming May Day Eve, which in Finland is a celebration not only for workers but also for students. That was already the case during his own time as a law student, when the festivities would begin well in advance.

One year, however, the student celebrations in Turku took a turn when a law students’ organization was caught selling alcohol illegally. Niinistö didn’t elaborate on the consequences but did offer a cryptic comment: the festivities didn’t end there—“lawyers always find a loophole.”

As a student, Niinistö lived mostly on study loans but worked whenever he could. He was willing to take on any job, so the future MP, minister, and president gained some early experience in the political trenches—by, for example, repairing sewers.

Looking back, he described the most valuable lesson of those years as learning, little by little, to recognize different kinds of people—and to understand that “in the end, we’re all carved from roughly the same wood.”

One of the president’s most poignant international memories was connected to the Prague Spring—the Czechoslovak uprising of 1968. Niinistö had a couple of Czech friends who, inspired by the movement, returned to their homeland that spring and disappeared. As he put it: “the guys went to Prague in the spring, and nothing was ever heard from them again, even though they were passionate fellows.”

That story reminds us of the cruelty inflicted by the Soviet-led socialist dictatorship within its sphere of influence. And it strengthens our resolve to ensure that Europe is never again divided into spheres of influence between the West and Russia.

With these presidential memories, I wish all readers of this blog a joyful May Day! Enjoy the spirit of spring—whether you are a worker, a student, or simply a fellow human being. And always stay on the right side!

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Brianna Wu's advice and the reality of Finnish politics
Finnish horror gallery and reality
What seemed to be impossible just two years ago is going to happen in very near future

10% of Foreign Students in Finland Failed to Meet Residence Requirements

A large number of students from developing countries arrive in Finland. Previously, there was little oversight, which led to many individuals arriving as students who lacked the necessary qualifications or preparedness for studies.

To address this, a legislative amendment came into effect at the beginning of last September. Since then, the Finnish Immigration Service has started monitoring whether the criteria for residence permits granted on the basis of studies are being met—in other words, whether these individuals are genuinely studying.

So far, the Finnish Immigration Service has reviewed the residence permits of 5,795 students. This process uncovered as many as 558 cases where there was reason to suspect that the legal grounds for their residence were no longer valid. In other words, nearly ten percent of the students who came to Finland based on study permits were engaged in activities other than studying.

Presumably, these students will be deported unless they can provide an acceptable reason to counter the Immigration Service's determination that they no longer have the right to reside in Finland on the basis of studies. Under the new law, they are also not allowed to change the grounds for their residence, such as switching to a work-based residence permit.

This is an example of how Finland’s current government has rationalized immigration policy. At the same time, it fulfills the election promises made by the Finns Party, which gained significant support in the spring 2023 elections and joined the government. In other words, it demonstrates the functioning of Finnish democracy.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Information for Asylum Seekers in Finland
University of Helsinki gained an anti-Semitic reputation
International Master´s degree is an opportunity to be used

University of Helsinki gained an anti-Semitic reputation

The University of Helsinki garnered international attention when it decided to bar Israelis from participating in student exchange programs. This was simply interpreted as anti-Semitism, which, of course, it was.

Now, Finland's largest and most scientifically prestigious university is attempting to remedy what can be remedied, which includes the university leadership requesting people who have been demonstrating in support of Hamas in the university premises for over a month to leave. Apparently, the university administration believes this will not happen voluntarily, as they had already requested assistance from the police when making the request.

It remains to be seen how the university leadership will react if the demonstrators do not leave. Or if they start resisting the dispersal of the demonstration with outright violence.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
A caliphate was demanded in Germany
Demonstrations cause trouble in Helsinki and Sweden
International Master´s degree is an opportunity to be used

History of Finland XV: Paasikivi-Kekkonen doctrine

This is the fifteenth part of a blog series in which I go through the most significant phases of Finnish history. In the fourteenth post, I described how Finland became involved in the Second World War due to a treaty between Stalin's Soviet Union and Hitler's Germany as well as the naivety of the Cajander government, and how Finland managed to navigate its way out of a losing war without foreign occupation, thanks to military brilliance and President Risto Ryti's personal responsibility.

After the peace treaty, Finland was in a new situation. On the one hand, there was the threat of a far-left revolution, and on the other hand, there was the fear of the Eastern superpower. In addition, a large part of the population had to be resettled.

The sense of national unity during the war ensured the successful resettlement of the Karelian population, which was unique internationally. The creation of the welfare state prevented the growth of the extreme left-wing support base and thus led to the gradual disappearance of the danger of revolution.

At the same time, the portion of the population whose livelihood in the countryside disappeared in a changing world emerged as labor for the rising industry in the cities. This, in turn, supported the rise of private economy partly due to the hiring of new urban populations and partly due to income transfers. In addition, the surplus of people coming from the countryside - which Finnish industry was not able to integrate into the economy development fast enough - disappeared across the Baltic Sea, boosting the rise of Swedish industry instead of radicalizing at home.

In foreign policy, the guideline was to act according to the interests of the Soviet Union, forced by the aftermath of the wars. In practice, there were no other good options. President J.K. Paasikivi was chosen as the leader of this ideology, and his successor U.K. Kekkonen continued it - hence the name Paasikivi-Kekkonen line.

These presidents, often considered as great men, were favored by the leaders of the Soviet Union, and their favor allowed for the preservation of domestic political independence. During the latter's tenure, Finland was even able to take a step towards the West by joining as an external member of the EEC.

However, entry into the economic community required an extremely undemocratic solution in Finland, namely Kekkonen's election to a third term through a state of emergency that bypassed citizens' democratic rights. However, this was apparently necessary because only in this way could the rulers of Moscow be convinced of the continuity of Finland's foreign policy after certain Social Democrats - including Erkki Tuomioja - had tried to torpedo Finland's western orientation by leaking secret information about negotiations between Kekkonen and the Soviet leadership in Zavidovo.

Kekkonen's time also saw a huge increase in people's level of education. The offspring of the previous generation's educated elite were expected to achieve or even surpass their parents' achievements, but at the same time, the descendants of the common people also embarked on the path of education, both from rural areas and urban centers.

However, these opportunities for advancement for student youth were overshadowed by cutbacks in higher education, which left the future of young students unclear. This uncertainty about the future of the offspring of the old elite led to radicalization, in which support was sought from the working class in much the same way as the Fennomans sought support from peasants in the late 19th century.

The construction of the welfare state after the wars had taken the revolutionary edge off the traditional labor movement, which, despite provocation from the student movement, aimed, like other European communists, to improve the workers' position through democratic means. The fanatically radical student movement, ended up in the arms of Soviet communism and lost its credibility, resulting in the entire leftist revolution eventually dying out.

According to Professor Heikki Ylikangas, the radical student movement was essentially a tool for its leaders to seek power. They were the offspring of the best-performing parents of the previous generation and would eventually inherit their position - albeit only after a change in ideological sign, as demonstrated, for example, by Björn Wahlroos, who became one of the richest men in the country.

The significance of the student movement was mainly in its support to President Urho Kekkonen, who utilized it skillfully, and at the same time started a slight shift towards leftism across the entire political spectrum - including the previously very conservative National Coalition Party. However, these effects were relatively short-lived, although the student movement may still have some significance as a conscious or unconscious role model for later radical movements.

The original blog post in Finnish:
Paasikiven-Kekkosen linja

All the blog posts in this series:
History of Finland I: How did Finland become culturally part of the West?
History of Finland II: From a hinterland of the Union into a modern state
History of Finland III: The legal and economic weakening of the position of the people
History of Finland IV: The bleakest time in Finnish history
History of Finland V: The pursuit of economic profit saved the country
History of Finland VI: Age of freedom and utility
History of Finland VII: The dictator of the era of Enlightenment promoted capitalist economy
History of Finland VIII: Joining of Finland to Russia led to an increase in crime
History of Finland IX: Enlightended dictator initiated economic growth
History of Finland X: The birth of Finnish identity
History of Finland XI: Finnish democracy and gender equality for women
History of Finland XII: Bloody civil war
History of Finland XIII: The far-right's rebellion
History of Finland XIV: The end of the first Finnish Republic
History of Finland XV: Paasikivi-Kekkonen doctrine
History of Finland XVI: Through rise and fall to a new kind of future

International Master´s degree is an opportunity to be used

A total of  5 649 students from 142 countries applied for the international master´s programs of the Helsinki University. One fifth of them was accepted. 

This mass of young talented people could be a treasure. If their best portion would be hired by Finnish companies - once they have finished their master´s degrees - to strengthen their international readiness or to increase creative thinking in any aspect, it could add considerably to the success of Finnish economy. 

Unfortunately, it happens all too often that international students use Finnish universities only to gain a degree from a recognized western university, and continue to build a professional career elsewhere, especially in North America. Therefore I do encourage Finnish companies to familiarize themselves with the international programs of the universities, and to look for the best talents for recruitment on topics, where international background would be beneficial. 

The fact is, that in taxpayer´s view - who pay for most of the costs of universities - the only justification of educating foreign students is the benefit for the whole society. And therefore universities and companies should be active in finding ways to make profits based on the international education in our country. Otherwise we are just useful idiots.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Misuse of taxpayers´ money in Finland