Finnish Communist Party

The Finnish Communist Party was founded in Moscow by revolutionary leaders who fled to Soviet Russia after the Finnish Civil War (1918). This conflict arose after Finland's peaceful liberation from Russia, when the revolutionary Reds seized control of the Social Democratic Party and key southern Finnish towns. The right-wing government, with the aid of German troops and General Mannerheim's White Army, suppressed the rebellion, leading to harsh sentences and executions for many revolutionaries.

In Finland's early independence, the leftist wing of the Social Democrats separated to form a Communist party, which initially won seats in Parliament. However, they were arrested for treason, and the party reorganized, working closely with the Finnish Communist Party in the Soviet Union. Growing Communist influence led to the rise of the Lapua Movement, which used anti-Communist actions and terrorism. This resulted in laws banning public Communist activities and disenfranchising members, significantly reducing their political influence.12