Suosimista

Suosimista is a Finnish noun that denotes the act or practice of showing preference or favoritism toward certain individuals, groups, or interests. It is formed from the verb suosia, meaning to favor, with the nominalizing suffix -mista, yielding roughly “the act of favoring” or “favoritism.”

Used in public discourse and scholarly writing, suosimista describes situations where decisions—such as hiring, contracting, grants, or policy measures—are influenced by prior preferences or perceived loyalty. The term can refer to both accepted, policy-driven preferential treatment and biased or improper favoritism, depending on context and normative standards.

Ethical and governance discussions distinguish suosimista from related concepts such as nepotism (favoritism toward relatives), cronyism (favoritism toward friends or allies in exchange for favors), and bias in decision-making. In Finnish law and ethics literature, the concept is often analyzed to assess accountability, transparency, and the principle of equal treatment.

Translations into English are often given as favoritism, preferential treatment, or bias. The term remains primarily used within Finnish-language contexts, and cross-language discourse often relies on the translated equivalents.