Finladization is often discussed as a phenomenon where a small democratic country, like Finland, falls under the informal influence of a small authoritarian country, like the Soviet Union. As an idea this is all well and good, but what would be some actual historic events associated to Finladization (in Finland)? What would be the start and end date of Finlandization? Or other landmark events? Or is this just a theoretical concept without a genuine history?
The start of "Finladization" in Finland began after Finland dropped out of WW2 in 1944, from the side of Germany, and signed the Moscow Armistice with the USSR.
The Moscow Armistice was a relatively generous peace offer by the Soviets that allowed the Finns to retain their pre-war independence and avoid occupation, and allowed Finland to keep its parliamentary democracy and market economy. This came at the expense of ceding a strip of land known as Petsamo (rich in iron-ore) and leasing the Porkkala Naval Base to the Soviets. Further demands by the Soviets included legalizing the Communist Party of Finland (banned since the 1920s), the outlawing of "Fascist" political organizations, and the trial of 'war-criminals', including former President Risto Ryti. Between 1944 and 1979 public support for the Communist Party of Finland (SKP) was in the range of 17%–24%, and the SKP received substantial financial support from the USSR.
The Finno-Soviet Treaty of 1948 served as the basis for Finland's foreign relations during the Cold War, and here Finland promised to never join Nato or allow the US/Nato to station any military forces in the country. The Soviets were in particular worried about a threat posed on their city Leningrad or Murmansk/Kola. In return, Finland was further ensured of its political independence from the USSR. The main goal of Finland policy-makers (Paasikivi and Kekkonen) was to ensure Finland remained neutral in the Cold War and maintained a good distance from the US/Nato, in order to prevent the USSR from demanding it join the Warsaw Pact.
So from 1944 to 1991, Finland existed as a neutral state which maintained somewhat warm relations between the United States/Nato and the USSR. Finland shared democratic capitalist values with the West, while being tied to the USSR.
Finland was host to many summits between the Western countries (US, Nato) and the USSR and Eastern-Communist bloc. Notable summits were the Helsinki Accords (1975) and the Helsinki Summit (1990).