Gertrude Enderle-Burcel, Dieter Stiefel, Alice Teichova (Hrsg.): Sonderband 9. „Zarte Bande” – Österreich und die europäischen planwirtschaftlichen Länder / „Delicate Relationships” – Austria and Europe’s Planned Economies (2006)
Pekka Sutela: Finnish Trade with the USSR: Why Was It Different?
the traditional weakness of Finnish foreign policy studies - inability to put matters in a wider international context - could be possibly avoided. There is a need for a comprehensive study. But in addition, case studies on - for instance - the Kostamuksha project would fill a major need. Summary This paper asks, why the Finnish post World War II trade with the USSR has been seen — both at the time and in retrospect - as particularly profitable, while somewhat similar trade was seen as a burden to be minimised in Central and Eastern European countries. To provide an answer, it gives an overview of the Finnish experience of trading with the USSR, concentrating on the 1980s. Trade reached its highest level then. In particular, it is asked whether trade with the USSR really was exceptionally profitable to Finnish export companies and whether, on the other hand, the collapse of the Soviet market in 1991 was a prime factor in the unprecedented decline of the Finnish economy in the early 1990s. The paper concludes by pointing out some of the aspects in which Finnish - Soviet trade should be studied in future. Finnish Trade with the USSR: Why Was It Different? Literature Alho, Kari et al: Neuvostoliiton-kauppa Suomen kansantaloudessa. Helsinki 1986. Heikkinen, Sakari: Paperia maailmalle. Suomen Paperitehtaitten yhdistys Finnpap 1918-1996. Helsinki 2000. Hjerppe, Riitta: The Finnish Economy 1860-1985: Growth and Structural Change. Helsinki 1989. Honkapohja, Seppo — Koskela, Erkki: Finland's depression: A tale of bad luck and bad policies. Economic Policy 29/1999, pp. 401-436. Hu kk in en, Juhana: Suomen vientimenestys Neuvostoliiton markkinoilla 1970- 1986. In: Suomen Pankin Keskustelualoitteita [Bank of Finland Discussion Papers], 14/1990. Kajaste, Ilkka: Soviet Trade and the Finnish Economy. In: Ministry ofFinance, Economics Department, Discussion Paper No. 33, Helsinki, February 1992. Kajaste, Ilkka - Mattila, Anna: Korvaako länsivienti itäviennin supistumisen? In: Valtiovarainministeriö, Kansantalousosasto, Keskustelualoitteita 18/1988. Kekkonen, Urho: Päiväkirjat 1975-1981. Otava, Helsinki 2004. Keskinen, Tuomas: Idänkauppa 1944-1987. Helsinki 1987. Kivikari, Urpo: Finnish-Soviet trade in the light industry. In: WIIW Forschungsberichte, 109/1985, pp. 25-100. 329
