Influence of forest owners as an interest group in achieving the forest policy goals in Finland.

• Main Author: Metz, Aino-Marjatta
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Finnish Society of Forest Science 1986-01-01
• Series: Silva Fennica
• Online Access: https://www.silvafennica.fi/article/5285

The importance of forestry and forest industries to the Finnish economy led, at a very early stage, to a close cooperation between the interest organizations concerned and the government which founded the economic advisory council. The development of the social system in Finland since the 50âs can be described with the help of the neocorporatist theory. This can also apply in part to the forest and forest industry policy. According to Olsonâs group theory the representation of interests of the forest owners as a free association was forced to use various incitements to win new members or to maintain old ones. This led to tension with the forest industry which had developed its own activities to approach forest owners. Following the economic crisis, the wish was expressed for an official forestry policy programme. In response to indirect requests to the state, a project committee was formed by the economic advisory council in order to work towards a long-term plan to solve the problems and to carry out the objectives of the forestry and the forest industries. In formulating phase of the policy, the marked neocorporatist consensus between the associations and the state became evident. Certain controversial questions were, however, postponed and thereby remained unresolved. The interest organization of forest owners held an important position throughout all the phases of program design up to their realization.