Arvo Aalto

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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 (age 91)
Rovaniemi, Finland
Political partyCommunist Party
Children2
Alma materSirola Institute

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.

Early life and education[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h 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. ^ a b c Pekka Ervasti (24 May 1988). "Paper Views Possible Successors" (PDF). JPRS Report. Helsingin Sanomat. p. 17. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  3. ^ a b Mirja Niemitalo (11 June 2016). "SKP:n ex-pääsihteeri Arvo Aalto: Sotauhittelu vaarallista politiikkaa". Satakunnan Kansa (in Finnish). Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  4. ^ a b 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. ^ a b c 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. ^ a b "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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