YPS - Review

Finlandization and Historical Background

Hyeonsung Ahn

October 7th, 2024

In international political situations, nations that exist between great powers must make tough decisions to maintain their sovereignty and avoid conflicts. One such diplomatic effort is finlandization. Finland, which sought to keep the nation afloat during the Cold War, chose this concept as a diplomatic strategy to maintain friendly relations with the Soviet Union and maintain independence. Finlandization is called a pro-Soviet neutrality line and is often criticized for its enforced neutrality or substantial subordination. 

It is an outdated product of the Cold War era, but it still has many influences on countries that are located between great powers. For countries like Moldova and Georgia, or the Baltic states, it remains a diplomatic strategy worth discussing. It is also a valid diplomatic strategy worth discussing for South Korea, which is located between the U.S.-China hegemony competition.

However, those who oppose it criticize that Finlandization is a policy that renounces the independence of the weaker countries, and that a powerful country can effectively subjugate neighboring countries. It is also criticized for its difficulty in maintaining neutrality than in the past because national relations are not as simple as in the past and are closely related to each other worldwide. 

A case in modern diplomacy is Ukraine. Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, some international political scientists have suggested Finlandization to the country. Citing Finland's success during the Cold War, they say Ukraine could ease tensions between NATO and Russia. However, Ukraine is being put on the brakes by domestic political factors, such as conflicts between the east and the west, and strong anti-Russian sentiment in the west. 

Thucydides' "The History of the Peloponnesian War" shows a war between Sparta, an existing hegemonic power, and Athens, an emerging colonial power. In the conflict between Sparta and Athens, we can understand the word "Thucydides' trap." Thucydides' trap is that war can happen rather than because of the existing power's vigilant actions to avoid and preemptively suppress the war, which are wary of the expansion of emerging powers. In modern society, you can see this in the U.S.-China relationship. And foreign policy is important in the Republic of Korea, a country in between. 

In a modern society where it has become difficult to maintain neutrality, finlandization may be an unacceptable foreign policy. It may be an outdated product. However, South Korea is heavily influenced by relationships between great powers, geopolitically. Finlandization is an issue that should be discussed in our foreign policy in depth. It is not simply a matter of deciding between death and dishonor.