Sweden vs. North America

Margaret Wente writes for The Globe and Mail about women's issues. In a recent column she compares women's lives in Sweden - known for its pro-woman, pro-family policies - versus Canada and the U.S.

She reports women in Sweden do receive more support and government backing. As a result, they are more likely than women in North America to work part time in highly gender segregated jobs.

An unintended consequence: Swedish women are less likely to be consequential corporate or governmental executives. Wente concludes:

Where do women have it better? That probably depends on how you define “better.” If you define it as “high female pay and occupational success,” you’d choose North America.

If you define it as “achieving work-life balance, with broad social supports and plenty of time for family and personal development,” you’d probably choose Sweden. There is no one right answer, only different ones.

I savor the irony of these results.