Taistoism

Taistoism (Finnish: taistolaisuus) was an orthodox pro-Soviet tendency in the mostly Eurocommunist Finnish communist movement in the 1970s and 1980s. The Taistoists were an interior opposition group in the Communist Party of Finland. They were named after their leader Taisto Sinisalo whose first name means "a battle", "a fight" or "a struggle". Sinisalo's supporters constituted a party within a party, but pressure from the Communist Party of the Soviet Union prevented the party from formally splitting. The term taistolaisuus was a derogatory nickname invented by Helsingin Sanomat and was never used by the group themselves. Although they were sometimes identified as "Stalinists", this was not a central part of their orthodoxy.

The opposition was expelled from the party 1985–1986 and it formed the Communist Party of Finland (Unity), which took the name "Communist Party of Finland" after the original party's bankruptcy in 1992.

Some of the former Taistoists later joined the Left Alliance or have since abandoned Communism altogether.

Notable former Taistoists

Members of Parliament

Markus Kainulainen (1975-1979)
Lauri Kantola (1962-1975)
Mikko Kuoppa (1979-1987, 1995-2011)
Ensio Laine (1968-1995)
Pentti Liedes (1954-1966, 1970-1983, 1983-1985)
Marja-Liisa Löyttyjärvi (1979-1991)
Pauli Puhakka (1954-1983)
Irma Rosnell (1954-1987)
Taisto Sinisalo (1962-1979)
Marjatta Stenius-Kaukonen (1975-1994, 1999-2003)
Oili Suomi (1970-1972, 1977-1979)
Sten Söderström (1979-1987)
Esko-Juhani Tennilä (1975-2011)
Seppo Toiviainen (1979-1987)
Mirjam Tuominen (1970-1979)
Pentti Tiusanen (1995-2011)
Pirkko Turpeinen (1983-1987)
Rainer Virtanen (1954-1972)

Cultural movement

Socialist student movement

Yrjö Hakanen, chairman
Satu Hassi, member

Journalists

Urho Jokinen, Tiedonantaja newspaper main editor 1969–1984
Jaakko Laakso, Tiedonantaja main editor toimittaja 1976–1991
Leif Salmen
Erkki Susi, Tiedonantaja editor 1971–1984, main editor a 1984–
Esko-Juhani Tennilä
Nils Torvalds, Arbetartidningen Enhet editor