(Written 12th of February, 2003)
- Currently there is 21 registered political parties in Finland. The latest registered party is Blue & White of the Finnish People (Suomen Kansan Sinivalkoiset). So actually there is huge amount of parties, but still the three or four biggest parties will roll over in the general elections, like they have done from the year 1907. Those smaller parties wont have a chance in this race. In 100 years, there hasn't been many changes, when it comes to the issue, that which party holds the bridles in their hands. The three or four biggest parties, have always decided among themselves, that who will lead again during the next four years. Sometimes it's the Center Party (Keskusta), the former Agrarian Party (Maalaisliitto), which is the most beautiful and greatest, promising everything to the Finnish people. Promising just what the people want to hear? After that comes the Social Democrats (Sosiaalidemokraatit), promising again hundred and one great things to the people, while the Left Wing Party (Vasemmistoliitto) cries in the background. The only little change, during the past twenty years, has been the appearance of the Green Party (Vihreät). To this day, they have established their position in the Finnish political map. Although you might argue from the Green Party, that they are an example of a modern party. The last ten years, has been very trendy when it comes to the green thoughts and that might have been the reason why these old hippies and former military passport burners has been able to reach the top political rank in Finland. It was the same thing with socialistic thoughts after the first world war and even after the Soviet troops had marched to Berlin and ending the second world war. But is there really anything left from these socialistic thoughts, in the parties that ones shouted in the name of Marx and other socialistic or communist thinkers? Does any of the persons, that represent us in the Parliament from the Left Wing Party or from the Social Democrat Party, own for example a book by Marx in their bookshelf? This same thing applies to the Green Party also, is it just a trendy thing to belong to a certain party, not even knowing the history of these parties or representing the thoughts of those parties? Many of these people that belong to the Green party, doesn't seem to be interested anymore about the same things that they were, even in the mid-eighties. Beurocracy, offices, officials, and above all, the power seem to have an interesting effect to people. It seems so easy to forget your own ideology and thoughts from the past, if you just can hold on to the political power a little longer.
- It's the power, that these twenty parties that are registered, want, many of them even unknown to the ordinary people. How many people from the street can for example tell you, that what are the goals for the Alternative People Party (Vaihtoehtoväki)? Certainly politics is a great hobby, but I don't understand that you need to start another party for this hobby. A party that doesn't stand a chance to get into the Parliament. Oh, I forgot, they do stand a chance to be elected to the Parliament, just as long as they can get some former winner of a beauty contest or some sportsman to their election list. And while we are in Finland, not any sportsman will do the trick. It would be preferable that one of these unknown parties, would get a former ice hockey player, rally car champion or perhaps some football player that has done well in foreign leagues, to their election list. You cannot even dream that you will be elected to the parliament, if you have some merits from curling or from the Finnish baseball.
- One might also ask that is there any point of electing beautiful and famous people to the parliament to decide our well-being, just for the sake that they happen to be so damn beautiful, that you need sun glasses to look at them? Does the fact that they are beautiful, famous or good at sports at the moment, make them qualified to decide our well-being. Do they even know enough about social issues, so that they can decide in a manner, that takes into consideration the well-being of many different social groups? Probably not, but the professional politicians can't do this either, so it's just the same, who the Finnish people elect to represent themselves. This is the finest nuance in democracy. You can be elected to the parliament, even if you happen to be a former finance criminal or a psychology professor, who now and then uses cannabis. You can also keep your position in the parliament, even if you have committed a crime or you are suspected about child abuse. Democracy is a great thing, when you know how to use it. Here in Finland, we have very few professional or amateur politicians who can do the right thing, if they have made some fatal mistake. Those politicians who have enough guts, to resign from their position, when they are caught from drunk driving or from some other mistake, I lift my hat from a respect. They have earned my respect at least at this point.
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