Single Mothers in Sweden: Why is Poverty Less Severe?
Author(s)
Gustafsson, Siv
Abstract
In the United States poverty is increasingly concentrated among single mother-families. In 1986, 53 percent of families with only one parent present were poor. Yet in Sweden less than six percent of single parent families were in poverty. This striking difference results from state policies which promote equality between men and women and support their endeavors in the workplace and in the home. The Swedish model emphasizes labor force participation, but rather than generating American-style forced workfare, Swedish policy promotes full employment, reduces inequality, and supplements earnings with services and benefits. Policies directed specifically at single mothers are less important than policies that extend to all families and support women’s labor force participation under diverse family circumstances. Swedish family policy has evolved over decades and continues to evolve in response to changes in social values, the political balance of power, and the macroeconomic environment. Much of the framework was established during the Depression when low birthrates were a concern. It reflects pro-natalist policies proposed by the great Swedish economists and sociologists Alva and Gunnar Myrdal.
