Sweden in Review - Essay Example

Sweden in Review Brief History of Sweden Sweden human history is about 10,000 years and began after the melting of the Scandinavian icesheet (Scott, 11). The tribes of central Europe migrated into south of Sweden to form the Swedes while the Sami people came in the northern region from Siberia. The Viking age marked the start of revolution of Sweden as the Norsemen entered the region and later Christianity took effect in the 9th century with the first Cristian king of Sweden being OlofSkotkonung (968-1020)(Scott, 78). Colonization effects became evident in the 17th century shaping the beginning of the democratic and modernized Sweden that exists today. Geography Sweden is located in Northern Europe within the Scandinavian region. It is between Finland and Norway in the north, and borders the Baltic Sea, the Gulf of Bothnia, Kattegat and Skagerrak in the other sides (Fast &Keltie 8). The country experiences temperate climate in the south, with notable cold, cloudy winters as well as, cool and partly cloudy summers in the northern region. Social Institutions The family unit is extremely significant in Sweden as it defines issues such as children rights and care. For instance, the father or mother is entitled to a leave until the newly born child reaches age of 18 months. Sweden presents a very family friendly environment in most establishments where structures such as play areas for children are observed. The parents have right of up to 60 days off to care for their children when sick, indicating the significance of the parental role(Fast &Keltie128). The society is observably modernized, with each family unit living independently, within the urban regions. In the interior settings, the family observes nuclear setting of living. The society of Sweden also observes the role of courtship and marriage which take notable grace time for the partners in the relationship. However, the concern of the female and male roles remains as males are evidently paid better and have more leverages in the social setting(Fast &Keltie132). Nonetheless, the female roles of being the nurtures does not prevent them from undertaking social responsibilities. The Education Act in Sweden regulates the school system to ensure that there is safe, secure and friendly learning environment for the students. The policy entails that from the age of six years. Each and every child has a mandatory equal access to free education(Fast &Keltie46). The school, system entails nine years of schooling for all the children. The system of education entails pre-school which the municipalities provide for children aged one to five years. The municipalities give subsidy to the pre-schools depending on parents work status. Pre-school is intended to stimulate child development and learning although is not entirely compulsory. Compulsory schooling begins at age 6, divided into lagstadiet for year 1-3, mellanstadiet for year 4-6 and higstadiet for year 7-9(Fast &Keltie49). Then the upper secondary school or high school begins and takes two years. The individual then choose to attend university for 3 years. The entry programs require passing grades in Swedish, English and mathematics. The literacy rate in Sweden is observably very high, with notable population of 99% above age 15 having the capacity to read and write. 88% of Sweden population abouve age 25 completed their upper secondary education. The education system consumes 7% of the GDP of Sweden, hence, education is key sector(Country Reports – Sweden 15). The political and judicial system of Sweden is intertwined, as the system of government is democratic. The country observes the parliamentary system of governance, where elections are held every 4 years to get leadership. The parliament then elects the prime minister who heads the government(Fast &Keltie27). However, the king remains the overall executive leader of Sweden and he is not elected. The constitution is the guiding document for the political systems, with the political parties being open to membership from all people. The government guarantees the citizens there right. The municipalities constitute the local government, and have their responsibilities outlined accordingly. The country has a two tier taxation scale with about 30% municipal income tax and about 20-25% state income tax(Country Reports – Sweden 10). The judicial system is based on the strong constitution of the country and the courts oversee the course of disputes arising. The parliament constructs policies and laws while the judiciary ensures their implementation. Sweden is observably very rich in ethnic composition. The country has varied ethnicities including the indigenous population which consist of the Swedes, Finnish and Sami minorities. The other people in the country include the immigrants mainly consisting of Finns, Yugoslavs, Danes, Norwegians, Greeks and Turks(Fast &Keltie38). There are also people of other races including Asians, Americans and other races in small composition. The mixture of the vast ethnicities leads to dynamic subcultures with the main cultural affiliation defined by the Swedes, Finnish and Sami cultures(Fast &Keltie38). Notably, there is evidently a notable variance in social classes, defined mainly by the level of income. For instance, the rich constitute about 20% of the population and earn more than four times of the bottom 20% (Country Reports – Sweden 11).The middle class is average, thus, like any other country, Sweden social classes are evident from the classification of residential areas and other social constructions that reflect economic classes. Business customs in Sweden include the use of business cards for contact. The business fraternity has the official wear, in which men wear good quality suits and ties while women where the conservative business dresses or suit. Sweden has strong egalitarian values, hence, in business, it is essential to avoid being flashy and being ostentatious. In arranging for meetings, it is entail to give a two week notice and avoid making meetings during holiday periods. In business meeting, the Swedes rarely engage small talk before meeting instead, they engage directly to topic of discussion. Thus, the business practices are extremely detail focused. Religion and Aesthetics Sweden has a vast composition of religious affiliations, with a notable level of tolerance for each religious belief. The core religion practices is Lutheran constituting 87% of the religious population(Fast &Keltie89). The others include Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish and Buddhist, making the remaining 13% almost in equal proportions(Fast &Keltie90). The people of Sweden observe religious doctrines strictly. The country has a notable arts industry with the film and music industry as the most developed in the aesthetics category. Some notable film actors that project the drama category of the country include Bibi Anderson, Ingrid Bergman among others. Song is equally famous in Sweden, as depicted in the static that out of the 9 million people population of Sweden, about 600,000 belong to a choir unit(Fast &Keltie98). Moreover, two of leading world song writers that is Jorgen Elofsson and Max Martin are from Sweden. Architecture is a core component of Sweden culture and preservation of the folklore and symbols of the country is in Museums. Living Conditions Whereas money is an important aspect of shaping the living conditions of the people, culture and social practices are also key in determining the diet and dressing of the people in Sweden. The consumption of alcohol in Sweden is less owing to the state monopoly on alcoholic beverages. The Sweden population consumes both meat and vegetables in equal measure, in their everyday meals. The Swedish cuisine is the staple meal just like the other Scandinavian countries. Fish, potatoes, meat and dairy products are prominent with very sparse usage of spices. Famous dishes include Swedish meatballs, served with boiled potatoes. Traditional feast of the crayfish party conducted in August showcases the dietary composition of the country. The fashion industry is equally significant in Sweden, with the dressing largely influenced by western cultures. Thus, the dressing code is mainly of important fashion goods. The work clothing is strictly official wear, when in office or uniform when in the casual work sectors. Recreation is key in Sweden, and sport activities are a national movement that involves half of the population of Sweden. Notable sports include football and ice hockey (Fast &Keltie 178). Horse sports, golf and athletics are equally practiced. There are numerous recreational facilities including amusement parks, swimming facilities and museums for the people of Sweden. The healthcare sector is equally developed like many other developed nations. Notably the Sweden ranks among the top five in the world of countries with low infant mortality. It also is high in the ranks of countries with high life expectancy and provision of safe drinking water and sanitation. The government finances the healthcare sector with nominal fees for patients. Language The official language in Sweden is Swedish and a majority of the individuals speak the language fluently. Moreover, the people also extensively speak English, which is compulsory subject in the education sector. However, other dialects that are key include Saami and Finnish which are spoken by the other leading ethnicities of the country. Influences of Latin, German and Danish are equally evident, as key languages in Sweden. Works cited "Country Reports - Sweden." Sweden Country Monitor (2015): 1-22. Business Source Complete. Web. 10 Oct. 2015. Fast, April, and Keltie Thomas. Sweden. New York: Crabtree Pub. Co, 2004. Print. Scott, Franklin D. Sweden, the Nation's History. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 1988. Print. Appendix: charts Sweden Age structure Read More