Contents
The Arthashastra names six measures in dealing with other states: peace, war, staying put, marching, seeking shelter and the double policy. Which one is right depends on the balance of strength. Whoever is too weak to defend themselves should seek shelter with another. Finland shows how to apply this rule of the Six Measures without surrendering yourself.
A small country next to a world power
Situation
Finland had fought against the Soviet Union in the Winter War of 1939–40 and the Continuation War of 1941–44, losing territory both times. The Paris Peace Treaty of 1947 confirmed the losses and set reparations. In February 1948, the communists seized power in Czechoslovakia. That same month, Joseph Stalin proposed a treaty of friendship and mutual assistance to Finnish President Juho Kusti Paasikivi.
Link to the principle
The balance of strength was clear. War was no longer an option; Finland had tried it twice. Marching was even less of an option. Simply staying put would have meant rejecting Stalin’s offer, with unpredictable consequences. The only question left was: how much reliance on the stronger power is necessary, and how little is enough?
Negotiating the form
Situation
Paasikivi did not simply accept the offer. A Finnish delegation under Prime Minister Mauno Pekkala negotiated the content in Moscow. On April 6, 1948, Pekkala and Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov signed the Agreement of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance.
Link to the principle
In the Arthashastra, seeking shelter means looking for protection with someone stronger. But it comes in degrees. Paasikivi negotiated not about whether but about how. That is the core of wise reliance on a stronger power: you give way where you must and hold firm where you can.
What the treaty said
Situation
Finland undertook to resist armed attacks by Germany or its allies if they were directed against Finland or, across Finnish territory, against the Soviet Union. For this purpose, Finland could request Soviet assistance. The treaty itself, however, did not allow Soviet troops in Finland; that would have required a separate agreement. At the same time, it recognized Finland’s wish to stay out of conflicts between the great powers.
Link to the principle
The treaty combines two measures. Toward Moscow, it is seeking shelter: Finland promises not to let its territory become a staging area against the Soviet Union. Toward the world, it is staying put: Finland remains neutral. Together, the two fit a country that is too weak for resistance but too important for submission.
The price of reliance
Situation
In the decades that followed, Finland aligned its foreign policy with the line named after Paasikivi and his successor, Urho Kekkonen (president from 1956 to 1981). The Soviet Union gained influence over Finnish domestic politics. In the West, the term “Finlandization” was coined for this, usually as a pejorative.
Link to the principle
Reliance has its costs. If you seek protection, you give up part of your freedom. The Arthashastra does not promise that the right measure is painless, only that it fits the situation. Finland paid with deference and self-restraint, but it kept its democracy, its market economy and its independence.
When the balance of strength changes
Situation
The treaty remained in force until January 1992 and was replaced by a new agreement with Russia after the end of the Soviet Union. In 1995, Finland joined the European Union, and in April 2023, NATO.
Link to the principle
The six measures are not a lifelong decision but a response to a situation. When the balance of strength changed, Finland changed its measure. If you choose to seek shelter, you have to watch for the moment when it is no longer necessary.
Key takeaways
Key lessons
- Examine soberly how strong you are compared with the other side.
- If you are too weak, seek protection, but negotiate the form.
- Give way where you must; hold firm where you can.
- Factor in the price of relying on a stronger power.
- Change your measure when the balance of strength changes.
Summary
In 1948, Finland stood next to a world power against which it had lost twice. President Paasikivi chose neither war nor submission but limited reliance on the stronger power combined with neutrality. The friendship treaty cost room for maneuver, but Finland remained independent. When the situation changed in 1991, Finland changed course. That is what the doctrine of the six measures looks like in practice.
