by Shane Riley

Created on: January 04, 2009

Family Values: USA versus SWEDEN

It is obvious that family and children are valued in the United States. The families in the United States value their children. Regardless if a family only has one parent present, I believe that all children are valued because our future lies with them. Parents and guardians would contend that the more money they have and earn, the easier it is for them to take care of and to provide for their children.

The government of the United States also values children. This value can be seen with all the government-sponsored programs that are in place to help needy families and needy children when families have a lack of money, resources, housing, healthcare, food, etc. There are many more families and children in the United States than in Sweden, so the government of the United States can only stretch its resources so far; they can only do so much to help for those who are in desperate need.

It would seem that Sweden has better social protection and government sponsored programs in place for families and children than the United States, but here again, the United States has a greater population than Sweden, so the United States has to be selective with what resources are made available and with who gets those government benefits. Even though Sweden may have better social protections for families and children, this does not mean that Sweden values its families and children any more than the United States values its families or children.

The family structures and government policies are closely related to that of the United States. It is puzzling how a small country like Sweden can compare with many areas of the United States. I believe that the social policies of any government in any country would have an effect on the structures of families, the divorce rates, marriage rates and ages, and family sizes. The consequences of a government's social policies are a side effect directly related to the social control that a government tries to enforce for what they might consider as for the good of the people and the country.

Even though Sweden has many social protections and government sponsored programs and benefits for families and children, some of which are better than what the United States offers, I believe that the quality of life for families and children is much better in the United States of America. The United States ensures freedoms, rights, and protections for all American citizens. The United States government will provide many needed benefits for people when they are in need. Our government has a no child left behind law that ensures that all children will be provided with the best possible education. With all things put aside, the United States is the best place to live in the world. No country is perfect and no country is neither efficient nor proficient with its resources and benefits for families and children, but the United Stated does provide a country where the quality of life is much better to live than in many other countries around the world.

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