Arvo Aalto

Arvo Aalto (born 13 July 1932) is a Finnish politician who headed the Communist Party between 1984 and 1988. He also served as the labour minister from 1977 to 1981.

Arvo Aalto
Aalto in 1970
Chairman of the Communist Party
In office
June 1984 – 1988
Preceded byJouko Kajanoja
Minister of Labour
In office
1977–1981
Succeeded byJouko Kajanoja
Personal details
Born (1932-07-13) 13 July 1932
Rovaniemi, Finland
Political partyCommunist Party
Children2
Alma materSirola Institute

Early life and education

Aalto was born in Rovaniemi on 13 July 1932.[1] He graduated from Sirola Institute[2] in 1956 and also, received education at Moscow Party School in the period 1961–1962.[1][3]

Career

Aalto was a trade unionist.[4] He joined the Communist Party in 1951.[5] He was its secretary in Lapland in 1956[1][5] and part of the progressive group in the party.[4] He was elected as the general secretary of the party under party chairman Aarne Saarinen in 1969[2] replacing Ville Pessi in the post.[5] Pessi had resigned from the post due to internal conflicts in the party.[6] Aalto served as the general secretary until 1984 with some interruptions.[1] During his term the leadership of the Communist Party was progressive and revised the manifesto of the party.[7]

Aalto was the minister of labour from 1977 to 1981.[1] He was replaced by Jouko Kajanoja in the post.[2] In June 1984 Aalto was elected as the chairman of the Communist Party obtaining 183 votes against 163 votes in favor of the former chairman Jouko Kajanoja.[8] During his tenure Aalto visited China in January 1987 becoming the highest ranking Finnish communist to visit China in more than 20 years.[9] Aalto headed the party until May 1988[1][3] when he and the politburo resigned due to economic crisis experienced by the party.[10]

Personal life and views

Aalto has two daughters.[1] While serving as the chairman of the Communist Party he was not so close to the Soviet Communist Party.[8] He does not support the NATO membership of Finland.[1]

References
  1. Veli-Pekka Leppänen (12 July 2022). "Arvo Aalto pani taannoin hanttiin Kremlille – nyt hän ei pidä viisaana Suomen Nato-päätöstä". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  2. Pekka Ervasti (24 May 1988). "Paper Views Possible Successors" (PDF). JPRS Report. Helsingin Sanomat. p. 17. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  3. Mirja Niemitalo (11 June 2016). "SKP:n ex-pääsihteeri Arvo Aalto: Sotauhittelu vaarallista politiikkaa". Satakunnan Kansa (in Finnish). Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  4. R. Neal Tannahill (Winter 1976). "Leadership as a Determinant of Diversity in Western European Communism". Studies in Comparative Communism. 9 (4): 361. JSTOR 45367151.
  5. John H. Hodgson (March 1970). "The Finnish Communist Party". Slavic Review. 29 (1): 79. doi:10.2307/2493091. JSTOR 2493091. S2CID 163842405.
  6. George Schöpflin; Michael Leifer (June 1969). "Notes of the Month". The World Today. 25 (6): 233. JSTOR 40394276.
  7. Pirkko Kotila (January 2006). "Hertta Kuusinen - The "Red Lady of Finland"". Science & Society. 70 (1): 69. doi:10.1521/siso.2006.70.1.46.
  8. "Finnish Party Ousts Pro-Soviet Faction". The New York Times. 6 June 1984. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  9. Jane Macartney (15 January 1987). "Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping said today the Communist Party..." United Press International. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  10. "CP Politburo Quits Following Finance Scandal" (PDF). JPRS Report. Helsingin Sanomat. 12 May 1988. p. 5. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
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