Social Comparison of Systems - Social Democrat Model

The Social Democrat model has several distinct features such as: a high employment level, a very low poverty level, high living standards, a cooperative relationship between unions and businesses, and the ability to achieve overall competitiveness. This model works for several key reasons. Women and people in their mid-fifties to their early sixties have a high employment rate, thereby achieving independence alleviating the need for government intervention in the form of pension financing ("The Scandinavian Model Still an Example" 42). Unemployment is also kept at a low rate due to high percentages of the work force employed in the public sector.

The social system of the model is also incredibly advantageous compared to other models. With programs such as after school daycares, welfare programs, and employment protection programs, living standards are made to be much higher and simultaneously, lowering the poverty level of the populations. These key services like education, health, childcare and care for the elderly are almost entirely tax-financed.

Among other key benefits of the model is that the labor market for the model is governed by a "collective" framework of agreements such as that in Sweden. For instance, in Sweden, agreements between unions and employers give the unions a voice for the worker's opinions while allowing employers to profit as well. Conditions are thus equalized among different businesses so that there is an overall social equality and similar living standards among workers. This is important to prevent strikes and provides stability to the nations. Moreover, there are approaches to help people achieve ways to consistently train and learn to take advantage of new jobs that come to them. This way, the nations are constantly learning and growing, instead of remaining stagnant in its ways. It is another way for the people to be on a competitive basis with the rest of the world.

With unemployment