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【家庭與婚姻的理論與實際 討論區】福利國 先從家庭問題出擊
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瀏覽3,163 ｜回應9｜推薦0 |
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| 意見評論 | 民意論壇
梅峰／瑞典隆德大學留學生（瑞典）
日前報載德國為了因應迅速增加的老年人口抗拒削減福利的情形，有四十七名國會議員連署一項議案，主張允許德國人一出生就享有投票權，以保障兒童的福利。
德國這項「父母有權為未滿十八歲的子女代行投票權」的修憲建議是很難行得通的，因為由旁人代投可能引起家庭糾紛，例如到底應由父親還是母親來代投。
五年前筆者來瑞典求學，就發現瑞典社會也有這個盲點，即為文主張應以「家庭投票」來補「公民投票」之不足。也就是從傳統儒家齊「家」治「國」的「家國主義」觀念，衍生出的「家庭投票」方案，可以作為德國修憲建議的理論基礎。
瑞典社民黨之理想，是建立以個人主義為基礎的「福利國」，福利的內容，如兒童津貼、育嬰假、各階層教育學費全免，與就學生活補助及貸款等，其實就是換個方式讓人可以接受的「變相單身稅」。西方國家現在最大的問題就是少子化現象，但不生子，將來誰養你？於是，有孩子的家庭不但一樣要工作繳稅，更得大半輩子為孩子操心，孩子將來長大則要工作繳稅去付所有老年人的年金；而最沒道理的就是去撫養那些愈來愈多怕麻煩故意不生小孩的人，因為他們年輕時並沒有繳比別人多的稅金，卻還能到處悠哉遊哉，佔盡社會之便宜！
投票權是人民最重要的政治權利，沒有投票權的兒童自然無法讓政客們為兒童爭取應有的福利。兒童投票權的設計，不但可以解決德國、瑞典等國家的福利問題，更值得我們參考。
不過，為避免娃娃投票或代行投票的爭議，「家庭投票」的做法，除了維持傳統「公民」一人一票之投票方式外，凡家庭成員有共同一致之投票對象者，可再委託戶內一位公民代表全戶投票。沒有共識之家庭還是一位公民一票。
在台灣，同樣面臨兒童權利與家庭照顧長期遭到漠視的問題。君不見老農老漁津貼一再被各黨政客加碼，公共服務擴大就業人員也有年終獎金了，但就看不到需育兒護女，負擔昂貴教育費用，照顧老殘生計重擔之「家庭」得到援手，以致「舉家自殺」之慘酷消息層出不窮。
希望明年總統大選前，兩大陣營能在「家庭」的關鍵問題上大舉出擊！
【2003/11/17 聯合報】
【家國主義 家主政治 中華家國】健保免費連線《梅峰》
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「普世價值」與「潮流」
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周教授，您好！
很高興看到您願回應我，讓我覺得您還是一位有良心的學者，我引您這位學妹為榮！
我因此不得不糾正您這句話，所謂之「普世價值」！
首先，兩性平權，真是「普世價值」嗎？世界上仍有許多國家不如此認為，至少回教國家就是，因此這就不是「普世」。
再者，當個學者，如此僅以「普世價值」或所謂之「潮流」為前提作學問，而不反省在許多世代之「普世價值」或「潮流」是走向滅亡的，那麼政府養您等這些學者何用？所以我從不認為國父這句話正確「世界潮流、浩浩蕩蕩，順之者昌、逆之者亡」！
依我研究之結論，兩性分工才是真正能夠解決問題的道路，配套措施是都市土地公有與教育免費，這些當然都不易做到，所以必須由政治家去作為，我會努力去做的！
我的部落格的許多文章，尚請您指教！
網誌：中華家國雜誌 HTTP://BLOG.UDN.COM/MeiFeng
總之，您是幸運的女性，但請為那麼多無辜可憐的女性想想。還有，衷心期盼，您再生兩位可愛寶寶，為您的老大奉獻個兄弟姊妹，不要讓他孤單的過一輩子，這是您身為女人最應該做的事情，因為當教授無年齡限制，可是生兒育子，女性可是有年齡之殘酷限制的！我要是您，教授都寧可不幹！
順頌 安祺
梅峰 謹敬
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本文於 修改第 1 次
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（轉貼）日子難過 出養孩子5年增7成
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 | 【聯合晚報╱記者邵冰如、邱瓊平/台北報導】 | 2007.11.11 03:16 pm |
| | | 社福團體收到的捐款越來越少，但相對地，弱勢族群對公益團體的需求越來越大。社福界指出，隨著經濟惡化、新貧族增加，從交不出營養午餐費的孩子、街邊的棄兒、到青壯年失業族、無依無靠的低收入老人，這些弱勢者速增加，也讓社福團體受理的求助案大增。 專門協助中小型社福機構統籌募款、分配捐款資源的聯合勸募協會，近年收到的社福申請案就快速增加。聯勸公資部主任胡玉芳分析說，聯勸在全台協助400多個社福團體，分別從事幼、殘、老、病不同的弱勢者補助和服務，但隨著弱勢族群人數成長太快、聯勸今年接獲的申請金額已高達5億5000萬，比去年多7500萬元。 基督教救助協會四年前展開弱勢貧童「浮萍兒」的課後輔導班。協會資源處長鄭夙君指出，三年前協會幫助的浮萍兒才230個，但今年已增加到1200人，在全台開了82個課後陪讀班還是不夠，越來越多日子過不下去的父母找上協會求助: 「可不可以也幫幫我的孩子 」今年更因經濟惡化，許多陪讀班自動增加業務，除了課業輔導，還提供孩子免費的晚餐和點心，經濟負擔更重了。 兒福聯盟資源發展處副主任陳雅惠提到，7、8年前是收養人排隊等著認養小孩，但現在大家都不敢生小孩，遑論認養兒童了。但兒盟接獲的出養電話5年來增加7成，每天就有2個小孩等待收養，但表達願意收養的比率卻減少將近5成。 陳雅惠提到，民國90年一整年共接獲366通出養電話，每天有1通，去年則增加到619通，每天就有2通，最主要的因素是未婚懷孕最多，但近3年來，家中經濟有困難，養不起小孩必須出養，已成為最大的原因。 【2007/11/11 聯合晚報】 |
| 【聯合晚報╱記者邱瓊平/台北報導】 | 2007.11.11 03:16 pm |
| | | 社福團體說，這波小額捐款劇減和婆婆媽媽們買菜錢大增大有關係。捐款主力婦女們縮衣節食不敢捐款，社福團體只好東攢西省過苦日子。 世界展望會曾分析歷年10萬名捐款人，極大部分是女性，不乏夫妻雙方共同資助，不過都是以母親或妻子做代表為多。一般人的小額捐款更是最大的善款來源。兒福聯盟資源發展處副主任陳雅惠也提到，兒福聯盟的捐款人中有將近6成是女性，且家中有小孩。不少婆婆媽媽因颱風過後蔬菜價格漲得兇，為了省下買菜錢，只好停止捐款。 伊甸基金會經歷過3次發不出薪水的窘境，所以募款策略改以小額捐款為主。伊甸公關呂惠萱提到，捐款有時是臨時起意，伊甸便與頂好、全虹合作推出條碼零錢捐款模式，可以避免零錢箱被不肖人士順手牽羊。 且25元的捐款也不嫌少。伊甸另一項新的捐款模式則是網路捐款投票，每一票25元就可選出自己最想擁抱的對象。這也是台灣首見創新的捐款模式，捐款票選網址http://www.25885.org.tw/vote/index.htm。 陳雅惠指出，過去等著捐款自動進門，現在則是要把錢帶進來。她回憶，過去每次辦記者會，隔天捐款電話不斷，還有老榮民用報紙包了10萬元親自跑來捐款。現在民眾荷包變薄，辦活動的效果不大，但還要耗費人力、物力，將降低活動的次數。 除了少辦活動外，任何花費都要斤斤計較。陳雅惠表示，以前社工到收養家庭作家庭訪問搭計程車可報帳，現在要求員工公出需自行搭大眾交通工具，不再補助計程車費，取用文具、衛生物品都要登記，避免過度浪費。 【2007/11/11 聯合晚報】 |
| 【聯合晚報╱記者邵冰如/台北報導】 | 2007.11.11 03:16 pm |
| | | 景氣差、物價漲，小老百姓日子難過，許多人不再捐款做公益。小額贊助的薪水族紛紛停掉了每月數百到上千元的捐款，企業界對社福團體的贊助也大幅緊縮，讓社福界面臨前所未見的寒冬。憂心忡忡的社福界大老私下自嘲說: 「我們去郭台銘的公司前跪一下，不知會不會有用 」 心路：小市民說真的省不出錢捐了 心路基金會主任陳幸芬說，心路成立20年來最大的經費來源就是數千至上萬名的「愛心股東」，每人每月捐數百到千餘元的小額捐款。但今年以來愛心股東的捐款金額一路下滑，如今每月只有4、5百萬元，和以前相較減了兩三成。很多小市民打電話給心路要求暫停每月定額的信用卡扣款，很為難的說: 「物價漲太兇，我真的再也省不出幾百元捐給你們了。」 兒福：150元義賣玩偶 難賣掉 街頭義賣更是困難。兒福聯盟以前半小時可以義賣200個玩偶，現在半天才賣67個，路人對要拿出150元買玩偶常要考慮很久，因為物價漲成這樣，不能再多花錢。 兒盟上周在台北車站義賣維他命寶寶玩偶，每個150元，2 名工作人員加上18名義工賣了4小時才賣出67隻，每個人平均只賣了3隻，「走到腿痠不要緊，工作人員還要安慰嚴重受挫的義工。」 兒福資源發展處副主任陳雅惠無奈表示，去年下半年募到1000萬元捐款，今年訂下1100萬元的目標，從8月至今只募到500多萬元，更慘的是幾乎每天都接到要求停止每月500元的捐款的電話或e-mail。世界展望會資源發展處長郭秀齡指出，以往要求暫停資助兒童的因素很多種，最近接獲的原因多是經濟困難無力負擔，不得不停止一個月700元的捐款。 如今還出現一種共同資助的新現象。郭秀齡說，過去都是資助人每月定期捐700元，如今付不起了，有資助人邀請朋友一起加入，每人分攤350元。 伊甸 每個月平均有200人停捐 小額捐款是伊甸基金會賴以維生的財源，十多年的時間，累積的捐款人有1萬8千多人，金額多為100元到800元不等。伊甸公關呂惠萱說，最近就有一位長期捐款人的表示換工作後薪水變少，無法繼續捐款，而每個月平均都有200位捐款人停捐，每天都會接到1、2通電話，可見問題真的很嚴重。 企業界的贊助也大縮水，心路最近「籌建心路兒童早療啟蒙療育中心」，但5000萬元的專案募款推了快半年，只向企業界募到200萬元。 【2007/11/11 聯合晚報】 |
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（轉貼）株洲31人因違法生育被取消委員代表候選資格
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株洲31人因違法生育被取消委員代表候選資格 北京新浪網 (2007-11-02 17:31) 截至昨日，株洲市審核市本級(鄉、縣、市)黨代表、人大代表、政協委員候選人1940名，31人因違法生育被否決。有關部門表示，該市將對黨員幹部、名人富人、人大代表和政協委員等公眾人物計生情況嚴格把關，合力打造『公平計生』。 花費金錢買著生、利用關係騙著生、跑到外地躲著生，近年，一些黨員幹部、個體戶和企業主等違法生育現象依然存在。由於取証困難等原因，此類超生難以處罰到位，影響惡劣。為此，株洲市部署違法生育專項治理行動，年底前將對1990年以來社會公眾人物、各級黨員幹部違法生育行為進行清查，重點清理超生、非婚生育及非法收養行為。
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（轉貼）調查顯示:女性晚育更易保持穩定婚姻關係
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調查顯示:女性晚育更易保持穩定婚姻關係 | 2007年11月5日 10:24 | | 來源:環球時報-生命時報 選稿:任艷麗 | | 適度晚育的母親更出色！據英國《每日郵報》報道，與較早生育的女性相比，晚育女性的經濟狀況更好，她們通常也可以將豐富的職場經驗和管理技巧直接用到管理家庭和養育子女上來，因此晚育的女性更能“相夫教子”。 據統計，英國女性的平均生育年齡已攀升到了29歲，越來越多的女性將生育年齡推遲到30歲以後。同時，將近40歲或40歲以後才開始組建家庭的女性也呈快速增長之勢。去 |
年，英國共有2.2萬餘名40歲以上的女性生育，其中1/4的女性是首次生育，這一數位比1975年上升了13倍。而35—39歲的女性首次生育的人數是1975年的10倍之多。 晚育現象在美國也呈上升之勢。得克薩斯州休斯敦大學婦女研究中心的負責人格雷戈裏說：“我把那些推遲生育的女性稱為‘新晚育母親’，事實證明，她們的選擇是正確的。由於生活及事業上的不少目標業已實現，她 們往往會將更多的精力放在家庭生活上，而不像很多較早生育的女性那樣不得不在家庭與事業之間苦苦尋求平衡。”此外，格雷戈裏還表示，那些晚育母親不僅更有可能保持一個穩定的婚姻關係，往往還擁有更為緊密的摯友圈。 “儘管年輕一些的女性擁有更強的生育力和更為健康的身體，但年齡較大的母親往往顯得更成熟，而且不太可能做出危險的舉動，同時她們在收入及情感等方面均表現得更加穩定。”
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「家庭投票」是少子化危機的萬靈丹
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「家庭投票」是少子化危機的萬靈丹
梅峰
高齡化本是美事，但如摻雜少子化而衍生為人口老化，即類如地球暖化而成嚴重威脅人類生存之全球化議題，近來已常為我國許多媒體所探討，學術界目前雖有相關研究觸及問題核心，卻尚無盤整定論，對其理論基礎更是不敢造次，因為這牽涉到西方民主政治之基本價值，個人主義的修正！筆者以為問題並不難解決，尤其是身為儒家，齊「家」治「國」，「家國主義」文化子孫的我們，只要不盲目陷入西方個人主義的死胡同，就能在不久或有之修憲中迎刃化解。
內閣制是西方民主政治中相對較健全的制度，其人民關鍵之政權主要還是選舉權，而國父所謂之罷免、創制與複決，僅是聊備一格而無甚作用，因此如果兒童無投票權，政客怎麼可能會想盡辦法收買他們，所以佔我國二成之十五歲以下兒童人口之健保支付總額，只約不到九趴的六十五歲以上老年人口的一半，兒少福利預算亦不到整體國家福利支出之三趴，更且沒有一個政客敢得罪，人數愈來愈多之「資深公民」，是故完全無合理規劃之老農、老漁與榮民津貼不斷加碼。
我國歷來之養兒防老觀念，現在一般人避之唯恐不及，無不以八股視之，但這卻絕對是真理，因為就整個社會的宏觀來看，當然是由中生代照顧生養上下一代，年老後再由下一代反芻之，而往昔主要以家庭為互助單元，自然以養兒防老稱之，這乍看之下好像很自私，事實上卻公正的很，因為西方不過以年金制度將其社會化罷了！此即以中生代工作之稅金，去支持上一代的晚年，表面上大公無私，骨子裡卻是男盜女娼，因西方個人主義者思考欠周，輕忽此自然社會生生不息的道理，對減輕有子家庭之負擔要不完全忽略，要不就是為德不卒，結果演變成自家生的小孩，卻要增加負擔去撫養那些愈來愈多怕麻煩故意不生小孩的人，讓他們更有時間去大賺其錢、自我實現並悠哉遊哉，而加深少子化之惡化，這有道理嗎？
最近上台之奧地利與前幾年之英國政府，均有投票年齡由十八歲降到十六歲之議，我國憲法亦想將投票年齡降為十八歲，但這些做法均無法根治病因，因為即使年齡一降再降，仍然只能讓全數兒童的一小部份投票，且永遠有兒童是否能正確判斷的顧慮，許多學者老喜歡強調「兒童最佳利益」，其實如果對《聯合國兒童權利憲章》深入研究，就會發現兒童最佳利益是完全建築在「家庭最佳利益」之上，因為兒童幾乎無法自主，而多數是要靠家庭來承擔的。
歐洲有識之士早就注意及此，一九八○年瑞典哥登堡大學緯布祐根教授（Prof. Jorgen Weibull），就為文提倡由父母代為投票，以讓所有兒童擁有投票權，許多國家之兒童醫生更常是兒童投票權的提倡者；二○○三年德國有四十七名國會議員聯署提案修憲，主張父母替十八歲以下之小孩投票，讓德國人一出生就享有投票權，但此建議當時行不通，其困境在男女平權之德國，擔心引起家庭糾紛，此即到底應由父親還是母親來代投。
筆者當時曾在聯合報發表「家庭投票」之建議，此即除維持傳統「公民」之投票方式外，凡家庭成員有共同一致之投票對象者，可委託戶內之一位公民代表全戶之老弱婦孺投票，此時不但家裡所有「人」一人一票，尚應加權計數，如讓「家庭票」之每一票以一票半記之，以鼓勵家庭之討論共識，這種做法不但能慎選投票對象，更能增加投票率，又不至產生家庭糾紛，因為沒有共識之家庭仍是一位「公民」一票，誰叫您自「己」要放棄自「家」的權利。
最近筆者又再想到一個更變通的「輪流主投」方式，以克服男女平權及統獨分野之魔障，此即如果父或母堅持欲自行投票，但又不願喪失兒童的投票權，則不妨由夫妻在相鄰不同之選舉中輪流作主，代表整個家庭投票，這樣問題或稍可公平解決！其實西方比例代表選制主要是選黨重於選人，政黨更常是以階級利益區分，而家庭在階級利益裡基本上是一致的，所以夫妻看法多雷同，問題並不大，倒是我國政黨以統獨分界，造成家庭成員投票傾向四分五裂，才真是莫名其妙！
本文於 修改第 3 次
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家國主義是娃娃投票權之理論基礎
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瑞典隆德大學留學生 梅峰
據聯合報六日之路透社外電報導，德國有「四十七名國會議員已聯署一項議案，主張允許德國人一出生就享有投票權」。筆者看到這段新聞後極為興奮，因為我在五年前來瑞典求學後，就發現瑞典社會這個盲點，隨即為文主張應以「家庭投票」來補「公民投票」之不足。
自報導中可看出「使父母有權為未滿十八歲的子女代行投票權。」的建議是很難行得通的，因為「德國兒童慈善基金會副會長克魯斯支持這項構想，但希望未成年人親自行使投票權，理由是旁人代勞可能引起家庭糾紛」，這句話清楚的點出這個主意之困境，此即到底應由父親還是母親來代投。而筆者以為解決的辦法就唯有，中共安徽科技大學李志超教授所言之傳統中國儒家，齊「家」治「國」之「家國主義」觀念，所衍生之「家庭投票」方案，才能提供它的理論基礎。只可惜西方個人主義之意識形態，這個問題恐怕不容易解決。
「家庭投票」之做法其實很簡單，此即除維持傳統「公民」之投票方式外，凡家庭成員有共同一致之投票對象者，可委託戶內之一位公民代表全戶之老弱婦孺投票，此時不但一人（非僅公民）有一票之權利，尚應加權計數，如家庭票之每一票以一票半記之，以鼓勵家庭之討論共識。這種做法不但能慎選投票對象，尚能增加投票率，又不至產生家庭糾紛，因為沒有共識之家庭還是一位公民一票，誰叫您自「己」要放棄自「家」的權利！
中研院陳寬政教授前陣子曾提出要抽所謂之「單身稅」，這是非常非常有道理的想法，但卻招到許多本世代「受害單身女性們」之韃伐，因為君不見十一月一日聯合晚報「女人四十變冷門」之報導，「九一年有十七萬多對新人結婚，有將近五萬人的配偶是外籍或大陸人士，其中百分之九十一是娶了外籍或大陸新娘的男性」。筆者眼見周遭這麼多女性朋友的相同處境，真是感同身受，這個問題雖然更嚴重，但不在本文之討論範圍，故暫且擱置來日再敘。
瑞典社民黨之理想，即希望「國家」是「人民的家」，它是以個人主義為基礎的「福利國」，而所有福利之內容，全是孔子禮記大同篇之「家國」理想。福利中之兒童津貼，育嬰假，各階層教育學費全免與就學生活補助及貸款等，其實就是換個方式讓人有辦法接受的「變相單身稅」。因為不生子，將來誰養你，西方與我們這盲目向他們學習的「亞洲奇蹟」國，現在最大的問題就在此少子化現象（高齡化是人民之福，怎是問題所在）。在瑞典有孩子的家庭不但一樣要工作繳稅，更得大半輩子為孩子操心煩勞，而孩子將來長大成人卻要工作繳稅去付所有老年人的年金，最沒道理的就是去撫養那些愈來愈多之怕麻煩故意不生小孩的人，因為他們年輕時並沒有繳比別人多的稅金，卻還能到處悠哉遊哉，佔盡社會之便宜！所以我中華固有傳統之「養兒防老」觀念也非全無可取，只可惜瑞典這麼重的單身稅仍靠移民來解決問題，可見原因並不單純。
其實國父告訴我們，投票權是人民最為重要之政權，喪失投票權自然無法讓政客們為兒童爭取應照顧之福利，所以這不但能讓瑞典解決它的問題，更值得所有中華民國有為政治家的效法。君不見老農老漁津貼一再被各黨政客加碼，但就看不到需育兒護女，負擔昂貴教育費用，照顧老殘生計重擔之「家庭」得到他們之援手，以致「舉家自殺」之慘酷消息綿延不絕。所以中晚七月三十一日所報導的「不婚世代：七成五不要小孩，五成四不想結婚」的問題當然只會更加嚴重。試想如果沒有國家未來的主人翁將來對我們這一代的照顧，經濟要如何繼續維持，我們又要如何安享餘年，中華「家」族繼起之生命更要如何延續呢！
為眾多「家庭」仰頸繫盼的連戰先生，於今年國慶晚會提出「十八歲投票」的修憲方案，及「保證維持老農 、老漁津貼的發放金額，如果經濟景況好轉，可以再加強」之「幸福宣言」，可見國民黨只會「拿香跟著拜」，未掌握此重大議題，讓大「家」失望之可悲。如果能在此「家庭」之關鍵問題上大舉出擊，激發兩大陣營真正正心誠意的為我們小老百姓徹底的解決生活困境，則「家」庭之幸，「國」家之福也！
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The Family Vote in addition to the Citizen Vote
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Institutionen for Tematisk Utbildning och Forskning
Children's Rights and Participation
Main Instructor
Marie-Louise M?lgaard
The Family Vote in addition to the Citizen Vote
The Most Important but Missed Article in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
Final Report by Mei, Feng
31 Mar. 2003
Rydsvagen 202A
584 32 Linkoping
Tel: 013-26 08 86
Mobil: 0736-48 44 92
E-mail: mei.feng@telia.com
Content
I. Introduction 3
II. The Condition of Children 3
III. Low Fertility Rate even under the Immigrant's Support 3
IV. The Unfair Pension System to the Families with Children 4
V. The Best Interest of the Child vs. the Best Interest of the Family 4
VI. The Family Vote in addition to the Citizen Vote --- the Voting Rights of Children 6
VII. Discussion 7
VIII. Conclusion 8
IX. Sources 8
I. Introduction
The "UN Convention on the rights of the child ( UNCRC )" want us to "Recognizing that, in all countries in the world, there are children living in exceptionally difficult conditions, and that such children need special consideration" (Preamble, UNCRC ). I personally want to criticize that the UNCRC still could not see through the 21th century's greatest problem of our next generation, therefore you are certainly not to expect that this convention could solve the problem of the children.
In this paper I will first point out the crisis for the child in our present era, I want to emphasize that the problem of the child is originate from the problem of family, if the family problem could be solve by some political action then the problem of children will be solved naturally.
I also try to compare the UNCRC's emphasizing about the "best interest of the child" to the " best interest of the family" to show that if the state parties try their best to fit the best interest of the family then most of the best interest of the child will subsequently achieve.
Finally, I will use my utopian idea about familistatism of its derived method about family vote as compared to the nowadays citizen vote to try to solve the present situation of children.
II. The Condition of Children
"The largest category of poor in the Unites States are children. There are more than 14 and a half million children in the United States who live in poverty, while more than 5 million children live in families with less than half the poverty line income. Too young to carry their own cause, these children often suffer out of the limelight and in silence. These figures seem implausible in a nation of such enormous wealth. ................ One in five children in North America live in poverty." (Lindsey, 1997)
As we could see that the description about the problem of children came from the super power of nowadays' earth. So we do not need to discuss about the present situation at the third world, Africa, India, Southeast Asia, South America, etc. We could also see that it is not just the problem of the children, but most importantly it is the problem of families.
III. Low Fertility Rate even under the Immigrant's Support
"During the second half of the 1990s, the country's population growth slowed dramatically. Childbirths declined sharply. The fertility rate ---- childbirths per woman ---- reached lower levels than ever (1,42 in early 1998).
The annual population forecasts published by Statistic Sweden predict that these trends will continue. By 2015, the number of people aged 65 or older is expected to be 25 % larger than today, while the total population in other age categories will decline somewhat. This trend is not unique to Sweden. The number of old people in most countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) will rise significantly over the next few decades." (Fact sheets on Sweden, May 2001)
"Every third person in the world is under age 15. In several countries in Africa, nearly every other person is under age 15; while only one out of five people in Europe is under 15. In 2000, there were 1.8 billion children under age 15 in the world; 128 million were in Europe and less than 2 million lived in Sweden" (Children in the population, 2001)
"Overall, children with foreign or mixed Swedish and foreign backgrounds comprise nearly one-fourth of all children (24 percent) ; this share is roughly the same for children of all ages." (Children in the population, 2001)
The western selfish individualism is one of the main factor to this problem, it happens mainly in the west. But some industrial countries without supported by the welfare policy who learn from the west blindly have even worse situation, especially my own country R.O.C., Japan, Spain and Italy.
Without the one fourth immigrant's support, Sweden will face more serious situation. The only practical solution to it is to increase the fertility rate. But it seems that seldom countries including Sweden have really faced with this problem.
IV. The Unfair Pension System to the Families with Children
"The size of the pension depends on the number of years a person has worked and on the size of his or her income. Full ATP is paid to people who have been working for at least 30 years" (Fact sheets on Sweden, April 1999)
Why people do not want to have children? In my familism's opinion is that the families have not been encouraged practically, and the single and the childless couple should be discouraged as compared to the families with children. We could see for example from the present Swedish pension system, no matter ATP or the 'New general pension scheme', if we compared with those childless individuals, then besides the burden to raise the children, the families with children have less leisure time and take the risk of worrying about the kids all the time. And they lost lots of great opportunities to have more education and to make more incomes which could increase their pension. Child-raising is only an extra job to favor the society but without any benefit to oneself from the macroscopic point of view.
And the children they have raised with great effort will say good-bye to them after they have grown up, for they say that they were raised by the child allowance, the free education and the medical insurance from the government, and they want independent and privacy to have their own family. And around one fifth of their salary will be taxed to give the pension of the other elders who never know them.
"It is still the case, however, that 8% of elderly are unmarried and some 18% are childless (51% are married, 10% are divorced.......... Now, as before, public care provision takes over when the family can no longer manage or where there are no close relatives." (Fact sheets on Sweden, Oct. 2000)
Except for the sympathetically special conditions, lots of the pensioned elders who cost more state caring service have never raised children when they were young. For they felt that raising children was boring as compared to have more time to have fun and to the realization of oneself. For they knew that there were always some foolish children-lover's children will pay their pension when they were old. And the most important thing is, the size of their pension is independent to whether they have kid or not.
The Chinese traditional familism's concept of "raise children to protect my old age" seems so selfish as compared to the western nowadays pension system, which seems with great love to mankind, raising other people's parents. We could found that the Chinese survived for around 5000 years must have their wisdom.
V. The Best Interest of the Child vs. the Best Interest of the Family
"The analysis of the adoption acts 1917, 1944, 1958 and 1970 shows that the concept 'the child's best interest' does not have an objective or universal meaning. Today's opinion of what an adoption should involve is not self-evident, and it cannot be taken for granted that alternative opinions disregard children's interest" ( Lindgren, 2002)
Here I want to criticize the questionable Article 3 of UNCRC --- "best interest of the child", in order to stress the important and unique role of family to support my solution of family vote.
As we could see from the paper of Cecilia Lindgren that the "best interest of the child" is dependent on period and circumstance, and there is absolutely no definition to the "best interest of the child" which is universal. The best interest of the child seems always lie under the best interest of the state.
One's interest is definitely decided by oneself without the help or threat of the others in nowadays democratic value. But how could a child known what his/her best interest is? Therefore it need the decision of the institution. We know also that the meaning of "child" is that it is not an adult. Consequently, the child means that he/she need to be taken care of (Preamble, UNCRC). So of course the family which the child born from has the responsibility to take care of them (1, article 18, UNCRC).
In most cases, nobody has the right to define the "best interest of the child" except the child's family, for every family has the freedom of its own value (Preamble, UNCRC). So the most important job the state party should do is to protect and support the family and let the family protect their own children for seldom families do not consider the best interest of the child, unless the family has broken the law of the state (1, article 19, UNCRC).
"The 'social structural' child, then, has certain universal characteristics which are specifically related to the institutional structure of societies in general and are not simply subject to the changing nature of discourses about children or the radical contingencies of the historical process" (James, Jenk, and Prouf, 1998, p. 33)
We could see that the institution --- mostly family --- related to the child is the universal characteristic. So there is one thing which is definitely universal and unquestionable, that is, "the best interest of the family" which is decidable by the mature family member for they know exactly what their interest is, and this is the premises of "the best interest of the child".
We could see also that most of the problems which we wanted to solve are because of the disintegration of the family, such as adoption, low fertility rate, children suffer from divorced single mother, etc. So there is one thing that is definitely clear, that is, the best interest of the family is certainly the best interest of the child.
We know certainly that the "best interest of the child" is only needed under the dissolution of the family (article 20, UNCRC), and this is the worst tragedy that has ever happened. The traditional Chinese big family would let this possibility even less, for the relative of the child will take care of them naturally (article 5, UNCRC). But still I want to emphasize that if the state parties could face with the problem of the families and try their best to work for them (2, article 18, UNCRC), then we seldom have the chance to face with the questionable "best interest of the child". For having a family to take care of he/she is the only universal "best interest of the child", and all other "best interest of the child" is definitely unreliable. Further more, if a state party without having a peaceful family environment, then they surely have infinite problem connected to the child, and subsequently infinite fake "best interest of the child" need to be decided.
VI. The Family Vote in addition to the Citizen Vote --- the Voting Rights of Children
"Any discussion of rights arguably begins and ends with the right to vote. If you have it, all rights are achievable. Without it, whatever rights you have are dubious. As has been frequently articulated by the Supreme Court, “no right is more precious in a free country than that of having a choice in the election of those who make the laws under which…we must live.
Other rights, even the most basic, are illusory if the right to vote is undermined.” The Court recognized voting as a fundamental right because it is the foundation for and springboard to all other rights.
........... Every extension of the voting franchise in American history has been met with resistance. Whether landless frontiersmen, freed slaves, women, immigrants, or the young, those already enjoying the franchise have warned that the prospective voters lacked the competence and commitment to the community necessary for responsible electoral participation. Gradually, however, suffrage has broadened to the point where it is now a right inherent in citizenship, rather than a privilege based on wealth, race, or gender.
In her very timely and relevant article, What Ever Happened To Children’s Rights?, Martha Minow bemoans the failure of the children’s rights movement and lists as the first cause of failure, the fact that children do not vote and their voice is not adequately represented. What Minow intuits is that without the vote children encounter a deaf judicial ear, a blind legislative eye, and a dumb executive voice in their plea for greater rights. It is a hallmark of our rights history that unless moved by extraordinary events, overwhelming opposition, or confronted with incontrovertible evidence, rights are not granted simply because it is the right thing to do." (Children and the most essential right)
"Fr?gan om barns r?str?tt har diskuterats i 20 ?r i Sverige. Men den stora politiska debatten har uteblivit. Diskussionen startade omkring 1980 med en artikel skriven av J?rgen Weibull som d? var professor i historia i G?teborg. Fem ?r senare gjorde barnl?karen Berndt Eckerberg, ett inl?gg p? DN-debatt. Rubriken var ”L?t Barnen f? r?str?tt”. Senare samma ?r gjorde Svenska barnl?karf?reningen en hemst?llan till regeringen om att r?str?tt f?r barn skulle analyseras.
........ R?str?tt f?r barn skulle inneb?ra att barnens f?r?ldrar f?r r?sta f?r dem tills de uppn?tt den ?lder d? de blir r?stber?ttigade. Det ?r framf?r allt tv? huvudargument som f?rts fram f?r att barn b?r f? r?str?tt Det f?rsta ?r att alla m?nniskor har lika v?rde och att barn ?r m?nniskor. Det andra argumentet ?r att barnens och barnfamiljernas st?llning skulle st?rkas om barn fick r?str?tt. D? skulle bland annat skolan, barnh?lsov?rden och barnomsorgen f?rb?ttras. Att denna f?r?ndring skulle intr?ffa om barn fick r?str?tt h?nger samman med att partierna skulle g?ra andra prioriteringar f?r att f? framg?ng vid valen. Resultatet skulle enligt detta syns?tt bli en rimligare balans mellan olika generationers politiska krav och ?nskem?l.
Politiken skulle bli mer inriktad p? morgondagens problem och mindre p? de ?ldres krav p? pensioner, ?ldreomsorg och dylikt." (Dahlberg, 2001)
We could see that there are already a lot of people know that the best medicine to solve the problem of child is to give them the voting right. Most of the advocators simply ask for the lowing of the voting age, and very few of others think about to let the child's parent to vote for them. The former will always face with the problem of lowing age and lowing and they will never know what is the limit of the suitable voting age, 20? 19? 18? or even 12? However although the latter have better solution to child's problem but they still face with the problem whether the mother or the father should vote for the child, and under which age should let the child vote for themselves in order not to disturb their independence! Both of them need the theory and practical method for their subject to be more persuasive.
In my Chinese point of view, all their standpoints are base on the western individualism ideology of citizen vote, they always consider that the country is assembled by individual, and only the citizen with cogitation could vote. The traditional Chinese concept do not have the idea of citizen, they thought that the state is composed of families, that is to say, the family is the fundamental unit of the state, if the families are peace then surely the state will be prosperous. So family or even the clan is the most important unit of the state and their members. Therefore my idea of the familistatism indeed is a good theory for their conflict dilemma, that is, the family vote in addition to the solely citizen vote. (Mei, 2003)
Chinese has an old saying: 'three workers are better than a talent', it means the individual's decision is always not so considerate than the group's. In other words, family's decision under meeting and other democratic procedure must get more multi-aspect considerations than individual. Many matureless thinking would be diminished under family members' discussion, that's the reason we have many family meetings at big and prosperous families in ROC. It is a good democratic education for ordinary people, it is also a good training for a leader at any sector.
Every human being has their right at the state, why shouldn't children vote for the right of their own. If they could not easily express their opinions, then the family who take care of them should decide for them. The more the members, the married couples and the generations in a family, the more voting figure this family should have than the individual. That is the real equality for family have members such as the children and the disabled, for they take much more responsibility than individual for the society. Their consideration include the fundamental interest of different sexes and different generations, and this is the basic structure of a stable society, so how could their opinions be neglected compared with the single individual who cared only oneself. And the consequence of this action would surely make the politician take every effort to support the welfare of the families with elders and children. and the turnout of the election will very possible increase too.
VII. Discussion
Finally, I still want to emphasize once again that the individualism western culture of democracy, education, equality, individual private property, science, etc. are the underground for the realization of the future family vote, and that is also the reasons why the east is weaker than the west in these latest few centuries. However, the weakness of eastern world doesn't mean that they don't have anything that should not be learned by the west especially when some achievements of Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, etc are the evidence too.
As we could see that there are no perfect method, and all of the methods has their merits and drawbacks, but still we shall try to looking for a best suited way to our own society. And I suggest the reform to the existing situation in stead of a completely revolution, for you could not avoid and even disgust your own tradition. You just need to look for the sick places of your society, and search for the best medicine to cure it.
But the saddest point is that, the radical Chinese almost completely distrust their own glorious culture, just learn everything from the West. Especially the easiest learned sick places such as homosexual, divorce, etc. But to the exact essence of western culture of education and democracy, it seems that it is very hard to let them fully understand it.
As for the West, they are too proud to learn from the East, some of them even deem themselves as the essence of civilization, against them means against civilization. The pride of them let them totally forget their barbarian ancestors as compared to the civilize East just several hundred years ago.
VIII. Conclution
"One could imagine the consequences for any particular group if they lost their right to vote. Their interests would depend on the good will and sympathy of others. Perhaps their rights would be protected by the courts. But in very real terms, their interests and needs would rapidly fall in importance among elected officials." (Lindsey, 1997)
The policy of family vote will definitely amend the present unfair to the families with children, for more voting figure means more power. The politician will of course try to modify the pension law, increase the child allowance, housing allowance and parental benefit etc. to benefit the families with more children. When the unfair situation gone, the fertility rate should be arisen, and Sweden will no longer face with the danger of ethnic elimination, and the immigrant will be less too.
As for the details and practical method of family vote of course need to have more reseach on it, but you could feel the fundamental democratic spirit in it is really better than the present dilemma under the citizen ideas. We will also face with many drawbacks of this action, such as dictatorship in the family, careless political concern for some family member, the equivalance of gender, the unbalance between generations, etc that must be solve by us later. But I still want to emphasize that the western citizen vote have already been amended for hundreds time for these few hundreds years, if the family vote also have such chance to amend, then its perfection will certainly acheived somedays later.
IX. Sources
"Children in the population", Statistics Sweden and others, from the teacher
"Children and the most essential right" http://www.youthrights.org/articles/mostessentialright.pdf
"Fact Sheets on Sweden", The Swedish Institute
"UN Convention on the Rights of the Child", Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 20 Nov. 1989 and entered into force on 2 Sep. 1990
Dahlberg, Carina; Feb. 2001, "F?r vi ett barnv?nligare och mer demokratiskt samh?lle om barnen f?r r?str?tt?", Ume? universitet, Pressmeddelande, http://www.info.umu.se/press/Press/297.shtml
James, Allism; Jenk, Chris; and Prouf, Alan; 1998, "Theorizing Childhood"
Lindgren, Cecilia; 2002, "What is 'in the best interest of the child' ? Notions of biological and social kinship in Swedish child adoption policy 1917-1970", extracted from "Uppv?xt, familjeformer och barns b?sta, om familjeliv som offentlig angel?genhet och vardaglig praktik", Instituet f?r Framtidsstudier och tema Barn, Link?ping universitet, 2002
Lindsey, Duncan; 1997, "Why Children Should Have a Vote", Child Welfare Review, University of California, Los Angeles, http://www.childwelfare.com/kids/kidsvote.htm
Mei, Feng; Jan. 2003, "Familistatism vs. Welfare state, an Utopian Idea of the Family-based Welfare State", Essay to the course "Nordic Culture", Linkoping University, Sweden
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Familistatism vs. Welfare State
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Estetiska institutionen
Nordic Culture
Main Instructor: Bo Hinnerson
Familistatism vs. Welfare State
An Utopian Idea of the Family-based Welfare State
Final Report by Mei, Feng
13 Jan. 2003
Rydsvagen 202A
584 32 Linkoping
Tel: 013-26 08 86
Mobil: 0736-48 44 92
E-mail: mei.feng@telia.com
Content
I. Introduction 3
II. Introduction to the familistatism 3
II-1. Prof. Li, Zhi Chao's definition to the familistatism 3
II-2. The several characteristics of the familistatism analyzed by Prof. Li 4
II-3. Mei, Feng's utopian idea of the familistatism 4
II-3-1. The Confucius' utopian idea of the 'Da Tong world' 4
II-3-2. The reason why the Da Tong world become a fantasy 5
II-3-3. The concept of welfare state is difficult to be accepted and trusted by Chinese 5
II-3-4. In Chinese 'country' means both 'state' and 'family' 5
II-3-5. The familistatism have the same idea with the welfare state basically 5
III. The difference between the welfare state and the familistatism 6
III-1. Sweden is the individual-based welfare state ---- people's home 6
III-2. Familistatism is the family-based welfare state ---- family's home 6
III-2-1. The family equality vs. the individual equality 7
III-2-2. The family-party trapezoid and the individual-president pyramid 7
III-3. The characteristics of the familistatism 7
III-3-1. The Confucianism must have its value 7
III-3-2. The state should try to let the big family existed 7
III-4. The actual realization of the familistatism 8
III-4-1. The family vote in stead of the citizen vote ---- the voting right of children 8
III-4-2. The unseperate right of family 8
III-4-3. The details of the familistatism need more research on 9
III-5. Gender equality of the individual-based welfare state 9
III-6. The Family's Republic of China in stead of The People's Republic of China 10
IV. The original social problems that exit at the welfare state before 1990s crisis and the solutions by the familistatism 10
IV-1. Low fertility rate and immigrant 10
IV-2. Loneliness of the elder and alcoholic 12
IV-3. The economic burden 13
V. The trend of the measures to overcome the 1990s crisis and their effects 13
V-1. The Swedish welfare state has recovered from the 1990s economic crisis 13
V-2. The measures of the trend that towards the familistatism 14
V-3. The measures of the trend that backwards to the capitalism and their side effects 15
VI. Discussion 16
VII. Conclusion 16
VIII. Sources 17
I. Introduction
If I do not admire with the Nordic culture, then I will not be here in Sweden and in this course.
Nordic culture life although could be expressed in art, craft, dance and music etc. but Nordic culture is greatly influenced by the welfare state especially in the 20th century. As I am a student in social science, and especially interest in the comparison between Nordic and Chinese social policy. So I wish to write this report from this aspect after I have attended the course, read the materials 'Spotlight on Sweden', 'Fact Sheets on Sweden', etc. and combine my four and half year's experience and research of living here.
I will try to analyze some phenomenon in Sweden that I deem it as the problems of the individual-based welfare state, and try to use my traditional Chinese ideology of the 'familistatism（家國主義）, which I define as the family-based welfare state, to find the way out mainly for Sweden. As for my home country, although she is of course the main concern of me, but it is still a long way for her to be an welfare state, not to say to be a familistate.
For the concept of the "familistatism" has been mentioned only by myself and another professor from the Communist China, Li, Zhi Chao（李志超）, almost simultaneously in Dec. 1999 as far as I know, so I need to introduce it in a more detail way.
I will also point out some Swedish measures as to overcome the economic crisis of 1990s, and you could see the trend of the family-based solution to save the welfare state. The other backward capitalism's solutions to the crisis, it seems to me that have cause the society no longer as safe as before, is an phenomenon that we could feel it too.
II. Introduction to the familistatism
II-1. Prof. Li, Zhi Chao's definition to the familistatism
"Prof. Li, Zhi Chao, from the famous University of Science and Technology of Communist China, published his article "The familistatism and Chinese Culture" in Chinese, I will introduce here about his idea of the familistatism.
He used the word "familistatism", in contrast with me, from the historical analysis to the traditional Chinese political, economic, social and technological civilization. And defined the traditional Chinese society from the Qin dynasty（秦朝, 221 B.C.-207 B.C.）as a society of familistatism which is mainly based on the philosophy of Confucius for over 2200 years. His main purpose on this article is trying to let Chinese understand that we have had a glorious culture compared with the same period of the world at most of this 2200 years. And we should still follow this magnificent tradition and try to understand how we could shape it into the contemporary society.
He analyzed that just as the two different societies, the feudal and the slavery systems came simultaneously after the common ancient militaristic communistic society, so were the two different systems, the capitalism and the familistatism came simultaneously after the same feudalism. The Chinese familistatism after Qin dynasty based on Confucius and Hsuntzuism（法家）already had a very good political and moral system about the theory of state, while this theory of state was found only after the feudalism in Europe.
As the Confucius is the main stream of traditional Chinese culture, and the main ideas of Confucius are, "regulate the family（齊家）" first, which mainly belong to the category of moral, and then "manage the state（治國）" , which mainly concern about the political system. So Prof. Li used these main ideas of "family" and "state" to describe the Confucius dominated Chinese society as the "familistatism" as compared to the western capitalism.
II-2. The several characteristics of the familistatism analyzed by Prof. Li
1. The main social structure of the familistatism society are family and state, and the families are led by the state. Chinese aristocrat had vanished after the Song dynasty（宋朝 , 960 A.D.-1279 A.D.）, and the civilian could possibly be the aristocrat by their effort.
2. The economic structure of the familistatism mainly based on agriculture, and helped by the industrial and business sectors. It is mainly private owned economy and helped by the state owned industries, and it seems resemble to the nowadays socialism. But as a matter of fact, although the private owned land have the critical merger phenomenon, but still it was different from the feudalism for property and politic power were separated, so the landlord of the capitalism and the familistatism is the same. The industrial and business sectors were too small to compare with the capitalism society today, so it was difficult to become the capitalism, but it is easy to be the socialism.
3. The core ideas to the theory of Confucius based on love（仁）, justice（義）and education, it catches exactly the very basic concepts of human development for survival and development, for human being are socially live together so they must love each other and there must be justice to punish the deviant. The socialized knowledge and virtues need education to transfer to the successive generations in order to keep the development of human being.
4. Since the Qin dynasty, Chinese familistatism already had free and prosperous industrial and business sectors. The capital cities already had the population to around 100,000 even before Qin dynasty. The state owned enterprises also run the industry of salt, iron, wine and tea etc. So even the industrial and business sectors of the familistatism were small compared with the nowadays capitalism, but still the scale is not smaller than the other countries of that time.
5. The power of the emperor（君權）and the bullies（豪強）were the main historical problems to the familistatism society, after the emperor began to corrupt, the bullies started to tease the civilian, and revolution followed until the new dynasty reappeared. (Mei, Feb. 2002, p. 6-7)
II-3. Mei, Feng's utopian idea of the familistatism
Prof. Li described the historic Chinese culture as the "traditional" familistatism. Different from him that I come from the Free China. And I get this concept after I have studied in Sweden. I based upon the traditional Chinese familism culture, further assemble the modern practices and methods of the welfare state to make my utopian idea of the "future" familistatism. It has the concept of the three generations' family, three generations' housing, or the nearby family households, or even by using the technology such as audio and visual communication to tight a family without living together, in order to take care of each others.
II-3-1. The Confucius' utopian idea of the 'Da Tong' world
The great utopian idea of 'Da Tong'（大同, it means that everybody has the same good life.）for Confucius around 2500 years ago which have been always deemed as the utmost state goal for every Chinese dynasty. What is a world of Da Tong would be? It was described at the book 'Li Ji' （禮記 , The Book of Rites）which said that:
"The best life a society could be is that the whole world is belong to the public. The persons with virtue and ability would be selected as the ruler.
Credit and friendliness would behave to others. Love not only our own relatives and care not only our own children. All elders could live well for the rest of their life, all youngsters are useful to the society, all children could grow up well-nourished. The widower, the widow, the orphan, the childless, the disabled and the sicked could all be cared tenderly. All men and women are responsible. Resources could not be wasted and used only for oneself, service to and for oneself could not be done only by others. Then there is no longer tricks and hatred, no longer thief and bandits, and the door does not need to close even when you go out. This is Da Tong." (Mei, Dec, 1999)
II-3-2. The reason why the Da Tong world become a fantasy
This political utopia was not so difficult to be achieved in the agricultural era at the big family of the ancient Chinese society if the emperor is not so bad. But it is difficult to be achieved at the nowadays industrial era when the big family is difficult to exist because of the great mobility of society. The two generations' nuclear family is difficult to take care of the elders and the children, and when the gaps between the weak and the strong, the poor and the rich, the knowledgeable and the illiterate are too big to catch up with. Sweden and the other Nordic countries are great to achieve the goal of the ancient Chinese Da Tong world which is now deemed as an impossible fantasy in China (PRC & ROC) even in the post-industrial era.
II-3-3. The concept of welfare state is difficult to be accepted and trusted by Chinese
Sweden is well-known with her welfare state model, but I think this concept is difficult to be accepted and trusted by Chinese, for it's a shame to be always supported by others and 'it is impossible to cook without rice' too. If a state is completely described by the unilateral positive slogan of 'welfare', then it clearly lack the relative counterpart of obligation to it, that is, what is the cost to the welfare.
Actually there are always 'give' and 'get' between different people at different periods and different situations in the Swedish welfare state. For example, children and elders 'get more' but they also play the role of 'give more' when they are at the ages of work and sometimes they can help the family even at this period.
So I think by my Chinese background, a state should act as a three generations' family with children, parents and grandparents, and every member help each other by their feasible ability at different life periods.
II-3-4. In Chinese 'country' means both 'state' and 'family'
In Chinese, the word 'country' is written as two words（國家）, （國）means state and（家）means family, and you could simplify（國家）by（國）too. The wisdom of the ancient Chinese could easily be seen. The Chinese 'big family', the main and largest unit of the private sector as compared to the public sector, already existed for several thousand years at the agriculture era and some drastic change have happened only in recent several decades which is influenced by the western industrial era.
II-3-5. The familistatism have the same idea with the welfare state basically
As you could see that the great welfare state Sweden, who has really accomplished the traditional Chinese Confucius' utopian idea of "Da Tong world". In order to incorporate the traditional Chinese familism value with the Confucian utopian goal to the modern Swedish welfare state, I therefore used the words "family state" to substitute "welfare state", and I use the ideology 'familistatism' to describe the idea of 'family state'. I put the word 'family' before the word 'state' is also to emphasize that it is now a democratic era and no longer a monarchic era, the family is the most important unit of the state, the state is exist to serve the need of the families, unlike most of the ancient societies that the family is exist to serve the need of the state.
My idea of the familistatism wishes to looking for a way out for the Chinese, I will be very happy if it could be a mirror to the western society too. I wish to use this concept and other practical methods of the welfare state as a reference, and incorporated with the traditional Chinese value to solve our nowadays problems, which have faced with the impact of the industrialization and democracy of the western society. And I strongly believe that the technology, social democracy and free education etc. will be the underground for us to accomplish a better quality of the familistatism.
III. The difference between the welfare state and the familistatism
III-1. Sweden is the individual-based welfare state ---- people's home
"During the 1930s, Social Democratic leader Per Albin Hansson developed the concept of a "people's home" that would provide economic security to everyone." (Johnsson, 1999, p159-160).
"Sweden has roughly 4,1 million households (1998). The average household consists of 2,1 person. Single households constitute the largest group representing 40 percent of the total. Households with two persons are almost as frequent or 30 percent." (Fact Sheets on Sweden, Oct. 2000).
"........ there are some obvious difference family caring system between the Chinese and European traditional society before and even after the industrialization ........ the relationship between nuclear family and industrialization has not so definitely relevance with absolute causality as we could see from the relation which had happened in Europe and China. For the nuclear family happened before the industrialization in Europe, but the situations is different in China" (Mei, Jan. 2001, p. 10)
Around 20 percent of the total households were co-habitants without children excluding pensioners and single with children (1997) by Fact Sheets on Sweden, Oct. 2000. In Stockholm, around 50 percent were single household by the household statistic 1990. I know that Sweden must be proud of this figure for the superior living standard, but it will probably be deemed as a problem of family dissolution in China.
It reveals that the traditional family style in European was mainly nuclear family, and the family caring function is so weak as compared with China. And the church, the private charity and the state often responsible for the caring function of the old, the unemployed, the sick and the disable.
The Swedish welfare state stemed from the western Christianity tradition is based on the individualism, which ask the grown up to leave the family in order to show their independence. We know that Sweden has an "explicit and comprehensive family policy" (Kamerman, 1991) too, but the nuclear family is only the inevitable physiological and psychological human need. So all the social insurance is mainly to protect the individual or at most the nuclear family. They seldom have the concept to make use of the big family to help the state caring function. So I defined it as the individual-based welfare state.
The grown up youngster to live away from the original family to show their independence instead of to let them to learni to take the responsibility of the big family is a great eastern and western difference. The necessity for this independence education make me doubted always. I think it must have some reasons to do that, but I do not think that it must be better absolutely. If the youngster leave the family forever then it is not good for the familistatism's point of view, but if it is just for temporarily leaving then it is not bad I think.
III-2. Familistatism is the family-based welfare state ---- family's home
Different from the threatening character such as hell of the western Christianity, the Confucius as the greatest Chinese educator, he always encouraged us to be a gentleman（君子）and never baited us with the untouchable heaven. In his book "Da Xue（大學）", he encourage the elite that "They should first of all cultivate oneself（修身）, then regulate the family（齊家）, after that do your job well for the country（治國）, finally make the world as good as yours（平天下）." You could see that the importance of family to the state for the traditional Confucian concept.
III-2-1. The family equality vs. the individual equality
The human being is impossible to get real equality between sexes, ages, generations and even individuals, but still we should try our best to looking for ways to get the better equality.
Although the equality between families is also not easy to be accomplished, but it has much more real equality than the equality between individuals. For the members of family include different sexes, different generations and probably the weak and the strong, so the equality between families are more fair and important than individuals. The welfare of a family is definitely the most important responsibility for a state, for the three generations' family include the basic element of the society.
III-2-2. The family-party trapezoid and individual-president pyramid
The Swedish election is party-orientated, I think it is a great improvement at democracy compared to the individual-orientated election of many other countries in the world. Even there is some change at the latest election in Sweden, but the individual election is still under the party. The politics that mainly between the mutual interaction of families and parties is better than that of individuals and president, for the former get the moderated geometric trapezoid than the sharp pyramid of the latter.
III-3. The characteristics of the familistatism
III-3-1. The Confucianism must have its value
In my familistatism's eye, Sweden now have faced so many difficulties to let the state take over the entire function of big family of Chinese after the 1990s crisis, I personally think that it is impossible for a state to do every job where the big family could easily do. The Confucianism which has well survived for over 2500 years must have its value and consequence and should not be abandon just because we face the impact of western industrial revolution, and this big transformation was started under the western culture.
Instead, we should learn the causes of progress of the western culture under the basis of our own traditional culture, for we Chinese have more experiences to survive as compared to the rest of other countries.
III-3-2. The state should try to let the big family existed
The big family have so many advantages compared with the nuclear family, such as replacement, mutual-support, efficiency, social, resource-saving, environment protecting, education, privacy-protection, tradition sustenance, the succession of wisdom, etc. Human being can never live alone, so what a state should do is then easily seen, to make every effort to let the three generations' family without being separated by the industrial era.
The big burden of the welfare state is partly because of the selfish of human kind and partly because of the management difficulty. Although education can amend part of this drawback, but it still cannot be solved completely. So the familistatism would be a medicine for it, for most family members don't have too much selfish between themselves, and the selfish of family has less influential to the society than the selfish of individual too.
III-4. The actual realization of the familistatism
III-4-1. The family vote in stead of the citizen vote---the voting right of children
Chinese has an old saying: 'three workers are better than a talent', it means the individual's decision is always not so considerate than the group's. In other words, family's decision under meeting and other democratic procedure must get more multi-aspect considerations than individual. Many unmature thinking would be diminished under family members' discussion, that's the reason we have many family meetings at big and prosperous families in ROC. It is a good democratic education for ordinary people, it is also a good training for a leader at any sector.
The range of voting right is increase with the democracy standard in the western civilized societies. The process somehow was like that, at first only the aristocracy had this right, then extended to the rich bourgeois, after that all male citizen, then all female citizen had this right successively. From the familistatism's point of view, it is the time for the children to have this right now, especially under the drastic problem of decreasing birth rate of the industrial countries. The voting right for the children has been advocated by an professor at the G?teborg University and then an association of children's doctor at Ume? for already more than 20 years in Sweden too. But they seems need the theory and practical method in order to be more persuasive. So my familistatism ideology do support them with what they need.
Every human being has their right at the state, why shouldn't children vote for the right of their own. If they could not easily express their opinions, then the family who take care of them should decide for them. The more the members, the married couples and the generations in a family, the more voting figure this family should have than the individual.
That is the real equality for family have members such as the children and the disabled, for they take much more responsibility than individual for the society. Their consideration include the fundamental interest of different sexes and different generations, and this is the basic structure of a stable society, so how could their opinions be neglected compared with the single individual who cared only oneself. And the consequence of this action would surely make the politician take every effort to support the welfare of the families with elders and children. and the turnout of the election will very possible increase too.
III-4-2. The unseperate right of family
The state should do her best to protect this important right of family. We should have the law to protect this unseperate right, such as work transfer must be considered for a whole family, the balance progress of every city, etc. As a matter of fact, this proposal has lots of practical examples both in Sweden and China. It just need to be legalized to let more family got this benefit. It will certainly decrease the divorce rate and make the society more peaceful than ever.
III-4-3. The details of familistatism need more research on
As for the situation of three generations' family which contains over two married couples is then the details of the familistatism and should be studied by every possible way. The idea of the familistatism is to encourage 'feasible married couples' included in a big family, but what is the best figure of this 'feasible married couple' then is the trade off between peace and mutual-supportability between family members. The more the state support at the education and democracy culture the more the feasible married couples will probably be happened as I could imagine now . The following are only some fundamental ideas for the action to the familistatism, these ideas are really so primitive enough, and they need to have more research and discussion on it subsequently.
The restriction of the same family members to have too many post at the same public sector, the individualism basis of economic property and political equality, the three generations' housing, family caring salary, children, disabled and sicked allowance, the working hour to ensure normal family life, complete free education of every level, children have the right to live with their own or one of their parents, sambo is encouraged but is discouraged to have children, individualism should not over the value of familism, individual property and family property, the family meeting, the family peace education, the family democracy, the families equality, the encouragement of big family with more married couples, family study, family court, family courteous, family members' equality, elders' pension, etc.
III-5. Gender equality of the individual-based welfare state
"After the 1998 election, 149 of the 349 members of Parliament were women ---- or 42.7 percent. This meant Sweden could continue to call itself the 'world champion in equality between the sexes,' at least in politics. ..... .Female representation in Parliament climbed past 40 percent, thereby enabling Sweden to eclipse Finland and Norway, which had previously led the field in the gender equality league." (Johnsson, 1999, p 105)
"For the first time ever and as the first government in the world, the Swedish Government has a female majority; 11 women ministers to 9 men (Dec. 1999)" (Fact Sheets on Sweden, Feb. 2000)
In my familistatism's view, the Swedish women get too much pressure, it could be felt from the high percentage of smoking and fast walking women. Men and women is different just like elders to children, although they are all human being, so why should they have the same percentage in every aspect. The gender equality in Sweden based on the individual equality just force the men and women possess the same value, and totally ignore the huge difference between men and women. Yes, I agree with that men and women should have equal opportunity for vocation, power and education etc., but why should fifty fifty equal percentage in every aspects means "equality". The side-effects show that many Swedish women are force to do something they are not fitted to do by the tremendous unseen pressure of the society.
"Women still carry the main burden of home chores and child care. This is one main reason why about one third of women with paid jobs work only part-time. Among men, the corresponding figure is only a few percent" (Johnsson, 1999, p. 106)
"In 80 percent of all cases, parents continue to have joint custody after a divorce. But this does not always mean that a child lives partly with the father and partly with the mother. In nine cases out of ten, the child lives with the mother" (Fact sheets on Sweden, Feb. 2000)
The familistatism felt that family equality is more important than the individual equality, and family welfare is more important than the individual welfare. Family welfare based on the cooperation function of the family members with different age and gender. Of course it is not good to let the women having the stereotype of house keeper, children raiser and men should do it also. But it is true that man and women show different value and interest in many aspects for thousands of years and all over the world. And should we just because of some women's wish, then force all the other women to possess the same value deviated from their nature.
As the statistic of "Distribution of residence permits granted in 1997" indicated that among the total 36,565 adults and children who applied for the residence permits in 1997, 52 percent were caused by the "Relations". And the Thailand's and the Chinese wife crowded to Sweden shows also that extreme feminist will on the contrary, very possible to cause the Swedish women lost their fundamental need of the family. The estimated 80,000 Vietnamese wife in R.O.C. tell us the same signal.
I do not against nowadays gender equality policies, but there must be a middle point for the ceiling. Sweden is a young and small country with every possibility, she has the will to win the champions in every aspects. Although this character sometimes is dangerous, however, she has a very good democracy system to turn the measures back too. The example of the recent welfare cut and more conservative attitude to women's body exposure in public could easily show that. That is the reason I could write this article here without worry.
III-6. The Family's Republic of China（中華家國）in stead of The People's Republic of China
After the German unification, Republic of China (R.O.C.) and The People's Republic of China (P.R.O.C.) also face with this problem more stronger than usual. Chinese is a face-loving people, one of the biggest obstacle for unification is what the future name of the unified country should be, for both the two old names are difficult to be accepted by each other. As a matter of fact, R.O.C. is only the abbreviation of the P. R.O.C. and both were just copied from the west when China was so weak with great frustrated self-despise and under the feet of westerner without own self-respect. They were all unfitted western concept of the People's Republic. For China is indeed a state made of families and with the strong Confucian concept of familistatism, so we should now respect our own culture and be the first Family's Republic of the world.
IV. The original social problems that exit at the welfare state before 1990s crisis and the solutions by the familistatism
IV-1. Low fertility rate and immigrant
"In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Sweden's population grew at a relative rapid pace (about 0.6% annually). Contributing causes included high birth rates (2,12 children per women in 1991) and large-scale immigration. Another factor was a continued rise in average life expectancy.
During the second half of the 1990s, the country's population growth slowed dramatically. Childbirths declined sharply. The fertility rate ---- childbirths per woman ---- reached lower levels than ever (1,42 in early 1998). Immigration also dropped significantly. Meanwhile the number of older people continued to rise.
The annual population forecasts published by Statistic Sweden predict that these trends will continue. By 2015, the number of people aged 65 or older is expected to be 25 % larger than today, while the total population in other age categories will decline somewhat. This trend is not unique to Sweden. The number of old people in most countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) will rise significantly over the next few decades.
Due to this shift in the age structure of the population, eventually fewer people in the labor force will have to support more people who are not working. Meanwhile demand for medical care and related social services will rise as older people become more numerous. In light of this, high labor force participation and high employment are desirable." (Fact sheets on Sweden, May 2001)
"The probable cause is a generally tighter economic situation and cutbacks in the benefits for families with children. Another factor influencing the figures is that because women wish to continue their education, they are waiting longer and longer to bear children. In 1998, the median age of the average women having her first baby was as high as 28 years.
"Today, about one fifth of Sweden's population of 8.9 million are immigrants or have at least one foreign-born parent" (Fact sheets on Sweden, April 1999)
In my familistatism's eye, the western selfish individualism is one of the main factor to this problem, it happens mainly in the west. But some east industrial countries without supported by the welfare policy who learn from the west blindly have even worse situation, especially my own country R.O.C..
The high labor force participation and high employment in my eye could help less about it for Sweden already has a very high labor force participation in the world. Without the one fifth immigrant, Sweden will face more serious situation. The only practical solution to it is to increase the fertility rate. But it seems that seldom countries including Sweden have really faced with this problem. Why people do not want to have children? One of the familistatism's idea is that the families have not been encouraged practically, the single and the childless couple should be discouraged as compared to the families with children.
"The size of the pension depends on the number of years a person has worked and on the size of his or her income. Full ATP is paid to people who have been working for at least 30 years" (Fact sheets on Sweden, April 1999)
We could see that in the present Swedish pension system, no matter ATP or the 'New general pension scheme', if we compared with those childless individuals, then besides the burden to raise the children, the families with children have less leisure time and take the risk of worrying about the kids all the time. And they lost lots of great opportunities to have more education and to make more incomes which could increase their pension. Child-raising is only an extra job to favor the society but without any benefit to oneself from the macroscopic point of view.
And the children they have raised with great effort will say good-bye to them after they have grown up, for they say that they were raised by the child allowance, the free education and the medical insurance from the government, and they want independent and privacy to have their own family. And around one fifth of their salary will be taxed to give the pension of the other elders who never know them.
"It is still the case, however, that 8% of elderly are unmarried and some 18% are childless (51% are married, 10% are divorced.......... Now, as before, public care provision takes over when the family can no longer manage or where there are no close relatives." (Fact sheets on Sweden, Oct. 2000)
Except for the sympathetically special conditions, lots of the pensioned elders who cost more state caring service have never raised children when they were young. For they felt that raising children was boring as compared to have more time to have fun and to the realization of oneself. For they knew that there were always some foolish children-lover's children will pay their pension when they were old. And the most important thing is, the size of their pension is independent to whether they have kid or not.
The Chinese traditional familistatism's concept of "raise children to protect my old age" seems so selfish as compared to the western nowadays pension system, which seems with great love to mankind, raising other people's parents. The Chinese survive for around 5000 years must have their wisdom. The familistatism's policy of family vote will definitely amend the present unfair to the families with children, for more voting figure means more power.
The politician will of course try to modify the pension law, increase the child allowance, housing allowance and parental benefit etc. to benefit the families with more children. When the unfair situation gone, the fertility rate should be arisen, and Sweden will no longer face with the danger of ethnic elimination, and the immigrant will be less too.
IV-2. Loneliness of the elder and alcoholic
"Elderly people usually live with their spouses (a little more than half) or alone (about 40%). Only 3–4% live with their children, siblings or other close family members. 8% live in accommodation legally defined as institutional."
"Available data indicate, however, that Swedish families help their older members to approximately the same extent as in other countries, but without living together, which in any case neither the elderly nor their children wish to do. Most elderly people have children living fairly close by, and in fact people spend more time with their close relatives today than used to be the case.
Towards the end of their lives more elderly people still live alone than the average for the population, namely 70% of elderly women as against 30% of the men. Perceived loneliness is not commoner among elderly people in Sweden than in other western countries (some 10% report often feeling alone), nor is suicide." (Fact sheets on Sweden, July 1999)
"Alcoholic, however, continues to be a far bigger problem than narcotics in terms of social and medical damage. Alcohol policy has been a major issue in Sweden for a long time. Because of widespread drunkenness, a strong temperance movement emerged in the 19th century."
"Alcoholic problems are considered serious in Sweden, however. According to one government study, 300,000 people have a level of alcohol consumption that endangers their health and social life. The growing consumption of alcohol among young people is especially alarming." (Johnsson, 1999, p. 196-198)
In China, although the elders have more economic worrying at the physiological side, but the loneliness feeling in the psychological side seems not as serious as Sweden as I felt from my experience after living in the two countries. The traditional doctrines of Confucius do have some drawbacks in many aspects, but still it really shows its value when faces with the western Christianity.
The alcoholic situation in Sweden which is difficult to be found in China, do have some historical, cultural, geographical and weather's factors behind it. But the less family warming tight of the individualism at the western society as compared to China still let me feel the importance of the family warm.
IV-3. The economic burden
"When the reforms Sweden adopted had been fully implemented, they turned out to be too expensive because economic growth was not nearly as reliable as it had been during the good years of the 1950s and 1960s. Old-aged pensioners became more numerous and required larger health and elder care resources." (Johnsson. 1999, p. 161)
"It also turned out that many new social benefits --- including medical care ---- were being utilized to a far greater extent than predicted. In recent years, the growing influx of refugees resulted in unanticipated new expenditures.
Because of all these factors, economic pressures on the public sector steadily mounted. For many years, the central government could solve its financial problems by raising taxes, but by the late 1980s it was clear that this alternative was largely exhausted. Tax revenues had reached 55 percent of GDP, a figure far above the OECD average. At the highest income levels, marginal tax on additional earned income was more than 80 percent. It seemed unreasonable to raise taxes further; on the country, a tax cut was unavoidable." (Johnsson. 1999, p. 161)
"There was intensive debate on taxes. In 1998, Sweden had the heaviest tax burden of the world's industrialized countries. According to OECD statistics, taxes totaled 54.1 percent of GDP. .... The average for EU countries was 42 percent. The actual difference in taxation between Sweden and the most EU countries is narrower than these figures indicate, however, because of difference in calculation methods. In Sweden, for example, most social welfare benefits are taxed." (Johnsson. 1999, p. 151 )
"Swedish labor costs had risen rapidly. The collective agreements signed in 1975 raised company labor costs (wages and salaries plus employer payroll fees) by more than 40 percent over the subsequent two years. This "cost shock" would have serious consequences for a long time to come" (Johnsson. 1999, p. 143)
The probably reflection by me to this burden is, whether nowadays human bing have the right to use so much resource that were many thousand times than our nonindustrial ancestor. And whether the industrial countries should drain out the awfully large benefit from the earth to maintain their high living standard, as compare to hundreds of million starveling under-development countries' people. The most important thing is after the depletion of the precious limited earth's resource, whether there are any other technological ways to let our offspring to live with the same standard as nowadays selfish individulism's capitalist.
V. The trend of the measures to overcome the 1990s crisis and their effects
V-1. The Swedish welfare state has recovered from the 1990s economic crisis
"The 1990s were a turbulent decade in Sweden. A serious economic crisis and important events elsewhere in the world made it necessary to face difficult decisions. Old values faded and society was confronted with new challenges." (Johnsson, 1999, p. 7)
"No exact definition of the Swedish model exists. In any cases, the model was declared dead by both the national and international media in the early 1990s, when the Swedish economy began to falter. In many cases, the media drew up their death certificate for the Swedish model with great glee. A recurring theme of their analysis was that the Swedes had been living beyond their means.
But this glee gradually subsided, and the world interest focused on Sweden's methods for restoring order in its government finances and re-establishing economic balance. This is because it was evident that the Swedish economic crisis was no isolated phenomenon. In many industrialized countries, governments were forced to cut back social benefit systems that had become too costly."
"During one of the dark days of the 1990s crisis in Sweden, one Swedish radio personality agonized: 'Our whole country seems as if it has been put on a stretcher, inside an onrushing ambulance, with a driver who cannot find any hospital.' But at this difficult moment, he found new hope when he read a few foreign newspapers. The times of London portrayed Stockholm as a model city with far better living conditions than London in many respects. Another newspaper wrote about a survey that listed Sweden as one of the world's best travel destinations. 'In the final analysis, perhaps Europe see us with different eyes than we ourselves do,' the reporter hoped." (Johnsson, 1999, p. 11-13)
"The Swedish economy is currently developing satisfactorily. Growth is high. The number of jobs is climbing and unemployment is falling, while inflation is low. Both public finances and the current account are in surplus. Swedish economic performance has not been this good since the late 1960s.
Since the mid-1990s, the Swedish economy has undergone major changes. The restoration of order to State finances, the low-inflation policy, investments in education and entrepreneurship as well as the emergence of a globally leading telecommunications and IT industry are among the reasons why the Swedish economy is performing nicely."
"Since then, registered unemployment has fallen. By late 2000, the jobless rate had fallen to the government’s target level of 4%. The drop in unemployment is primarily due to the creation of new jobs, but also to the expansion of openings in municipal adult education due to the Adult Education Initiative and of openings in the higher education system."
"Over the past two decades, average actual working hours have increased. This is mainly due to a lengthening of women’s working hours. This trend should be seen in light of the expansion that has occurred in the childcare system."
"The economic crisis of the early 1990s and subsequent measures to restore order to State finances left less room for local government services. Far-reaching cutbacks and efficiency-raising measures were implemented. Between 1990 and 1997, one out of ten municipal and county council jobs disappeared."
"In recent years, the country has taken a number of significant steps to raise the efficiency of its public sector, for example by allowing more competition. State grants to local governments have been restructured in order to streamline resource utilization. A new act on public procurement has been adopted.
Social insurance systems have been reformed in various ways to create greater incentives for people to work. Waiting periods for benefits have been introduced, and compensation levels have been lowered. Sweden has adopted a pension reform that provides a clearer link between the fees paid into the system and future pension disbursements." (Fact Sheets on Sweden, May 2001)
I am greatly happy that the welfare model which I loved most is recovered by a more delicate and experienced policy. However, by my familistatism's eye, this recovery process included many different policies, some is great that they parade toward to the familistatism's high ways with better future. But some of them walked back to the former hatred capitalism which the people's home wanted to reformed, and make the society less secure and peaceful than the 1950s', and 1960s' great periods.
V-2. The measures of the trend that towards the familistatism
"The social prerequisites of care and the significance of the family: The most important aspect of this is the fact that many elderly people have an intact family. By comparison with previous situations, many people are still married at an advanced age and have children and other close relatives, usually living fairly nearby. Research indicates that they are both willing and able to help their elderly relatives, and to a growing extent they also seem to be doing this."
"Financial support to close relatives: The most important care alternative today, as in previous years, is the family. Quite a lot of the people who use public care of the elderly lack close relatives—they are single and sometimes childless. Various forms of support for close relatives and other close individuals are available. A comprehensive public care system is in itself an indirect form of support for the family via such measures as homehelp and day care.
Direct forms of support exist in the possibility of being employed as a home-help provider or of receiving a cash grant for caring for an elderly person. Some 7,000 people are employed as home-help providers, often for less than 20 hours a week, and a similar number receive cash grants for care of the elderly. Despite insistent national proposals and legislation in 1998 with a view to encouraging support to close relatives, this kind of provision varies widely between local authorities, and many have little or no direct support. About 7,400 people are granted leave of absence each year for an average of 10 days, receiving compensation in the form of a close person’s allowance, which is a social insurance benefit.
This form of compensated leave of absence is available to someone whose close relative or friend is very seriously ill or dying."
"Experts predict a growing need for care which will probably lead care provision further along the path of alternative solutions and bring with it a growing element of care provision within the family." (Fact sheets on Sweden, July 1999)
"A care allowance is paid to Parents with children under 16 whose functional impairments mean they need special attention and care for at least 6 months. It includes both compensation for care and for the extra costs this involves. This compensation is taxed." (Fact sheets on Sweden, Jan. 2000)
"In light of the alarmingly low birth rate, during the 1998 election campaign the government announced plans to bolster public support for children with families, including higher child allowances and lower day fees." (Johnsson, 1999, p. 111-112)
Sometimes the state is unreliable for it is too far to reach especially in China like a pyramid, the kind Swedish government is unbelievable like an angel from heaven to them. But after all, the family will always be the final harbor to every traveler, this is the truth for every generations and countries. We should try to protect the family caring function first, then should we further the protection to those family lost single. Anyway, one thing is definite, the closed relative will be more possible to care about oneself then the state does!
V-3. The measures of the trend that backwards to capitalism and their side effects
"Mistrust of politics and politicians had also been reinforced by various political scandals, mostly at the municipal level. Revelation on how a number of politicians had misused public funds for private pleasures triggered strong indignation." (Johnsson, 1999, p. 99)
"The struggle against violent crime, drug-related crime and white collar crime will be prioritized, the Swedish government declared when it unveiled its budget for 1999. The authorities will devote particular attention to crimes with racist element, as well as violence against women and assaults on children.
The budget statement also mentioned the 'serious cross border crime' which had emerged during the 1990s and had its roots largely in certain former Communist countries. According to Swedish security police, foreign criminals had established a 'mafia' in Sweden. Another special problem was a number of Nordic motorcycle gangs that demonstrated particularly violent behavior."
"A serious of high publicized criminal cases reflected a growing trend toward serious violence ---- one new element was disputes within the 'underworld', many in the form of revenge attacks with fatal consequences. Although Sweden has comparatively rigorous firearms legislation, more and more firearms are obviously in circulation. Among the underlying factors mentioned in the debate are high unemployment among young people, growing TV and video violence, the number of broken families and recent large scale immigration." (Johnsson, 1999, p. 193-194)
"During the following years, the government implemented major cutbacks in the social welfare system, while raising taxes and user fees. These reforms affected most people in Sweden and triggered such powerful protests that in several cases, the government was forced to abandon its plans." (Johnsson. 1999, p. 148)
"When the social Democrats themselves regained power in 1994, they were forced to continue cutting public spending. Among other things, they reduced child allowances, disability pensions, sick pay and parental insurance benefits." (Johnsson, 1999, p. 162)
The welfare state idea at fist was surely devised to conquer the evil of the capitalism. So if there were any problem that happened for the welfare state, the worst solution will be the backward to the original capitalism. For it will just prove the failure of the people's home and all the magnificent achievements in these few decades were all in vain. Actually all the world know the great Swedish model, and Sweden is indeed a great country even after the 1990s crisis. So I strongly encourage Sweden to find out the real causes of her sickness, then use the right medicine to it, to reach another even more greater Swedish model than before. Otherwise we who admire this model will be definitely sad about it.
VI. Discussion
Finally, I still want to emphasize once again that the individualism's western culture of democracy, education, equality, individual private property, science, etc. are the underground for the realization of the future familistatism, and that is also the reasons why the east is weaker than the west in these latest few centuries. However, the weakness of eastern world doesn't mean that they don't have anything that should be learned by the west especially when the natural intimacy with the closed relatives is the common need of the human being, and some achievements of Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, etc are the evidence of the familistatism too.
As we could see that there are no perfect ideology, and all of the ideologies has their merits and drawbacks, but still we shall try to looking for a best suited ideology to our own society.
And I suggest the reform to the existing situation in stead of a completely revolution, for you could not avoid and even disgust your own tradition. You just need to look for the sick places of your society, and search for the best medicine to cure it.
But the saddest point is that, the radical Chinese almost completely distrust their own glorious culture, just learn everything from the West. Especially the easiest learned sick places such as homosexual, divorce, etc. But to the exact essence of western culture of education and democracy, it seems that it is very hard to let them fully understand it.
As for the West, they are too proud to learn from the East, some of them even deem themselves as the essence of civilization, against them means against civilization. The pride of them let them totally forget their barbarian ancestors as compared to the civilize East just several hundred years ago.
VII. Conclusion
As I have mention before that the main problems of the traditional familistatism is democracy, socialism and free education etc. which we indeed need to learn from the warfare states of the individualism origin. Democracy could make the main problem of emperor corruption and the following revolution vanished, and free education and socialism will make a more equal society and peaceful family.
The social democratic welfare state faced with the big economic burden, and have some tendencies to go backward to the evil capitalism, proved that the extremely individualism do use too much resources of the earth, make the birth rate declining enough to threat the successive of the race, and the 50% rate of single household in Stockholm crashes the family system which is the fundamental social nature of human being. As for the lonely corpse which have been founded after a long period of dying in the modern city, seem to tell us that our selfish enough privacy we have had to our parents who had raised us with so much sacrifice will be punished by the same consequence in the future. And the familistatism need the culture of democracy. So, should I get this conclusion that the social democratic welfare state should try to accept the concept of familistatism, and the traditional familistatism should learn the democracy culture of welfare state.
VIII. Sources
"Fact Sheets on Sweden", The Swedish Institute
Johnsson, Hans-Ingvar, 1999, "Spotlight on Sweden", The Swedish Institute
Kamerman, S. B. 1991, "Child care policies and programs: An international overview", Journal of Social Issues
Li, Zhi Chao,（李志超）Dec, 1999, "The familistatism and Chinese Culture（家國主義與中國文化）", Cultural China（文化中國）, 1999, 12, No. 23
Mei, Feng,（梅峰）Dec, 1999, "The Familistatism and the Familism（家國主義與家庭主義）", Paper of the course "The Swedish Model", Linkoping University, Sweden
Mei, Feng,（梅峰）Jan, 2001, "The Family Caring Function between Europe and China", Paper of the course "The Introduction to Behavior Science", Linkoping University, Sweden
Mei, Feng,（梅峰）Feb, 2002, "Gender, Domestic Technology and the Familistatism", Essay of the course "Introduction to Science, Technology and Society", Linkoping University, Sweden
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The Familystatism base on the Familism
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The Familystatism base on the Familism
Mei Feng
Paper of the course 'The Swedish Model'
From Taiwan, Republic of China
Rydsvagen 202 A
S 584 32 Linkoping
Tel & Fax: 013-260886 (H)
Mobil: 070-3315109
E-mail:meifeng77@hotmail.com
fenme976@student.lin.se
The Familystatism
The concept of 'welfare state' is difficult to be accepted in asia
Sweden is known with her model of 'welfare state', but I think this concept is difficult to be accepted in asia where people there are far more influenced by the Confucianism than Christianity. If a state is completely described by the word 'welfare' which means probably that we could naturally accept the welfare from the state anytime and it is difficult for them to accept for it's a shame to be always supported by others. I think the real situation is certainly not as the word describe in Sweden for there are always 'give' and 'get' between different people at different periods and different situations, for example, children and elders 'get more' but they also play the role of 'give more' when they are at the ages of works and sometimes they can help the family even at this period, so I think a state should like a three generations' family with children, parents and grandparents, and every member help each other at their feasible ability and at their different life periods, but it is impossible for a state to take over the role of big family completely.
In Chinese 'country' means both 'state' and 'family'
In Chinese the word 'country' is written as two words 'Guo Jia', the first word 'Guo' means 'state' and the second word 'Jia' means 'family', and you can only use 'Guo' to means 'Guo Jia' too. The Chinese 'big family' at agriculture era probably already existed for several thousand years and some change have happened only in recent several decades which is influenced by the western industrial era.
The Confucius' utopia idea of 'Da Tong' world
The great utopia idea of 'Da Tong' (you can probably say that it means 'everybody has the same good life') for Confucius around 2500 years ago which have been always deemed as the utmost goal for every Chinese dynasty. What is a world of°uDa Tong°vwould be? It was described at the book 'Li Ji, (The Book of Rites)' which said that:
The best life a society could be that the whole world is belong to the public, the persons with virtue and ability would be selected for the people, credit and friendliness would behave to others, love not only our own relatives and care not only our own children, all elders could live well for the rest of their life, all youngsters are useful to the society, all children could grow up well-nourished. The widower, the widow, the orphan, the childless, the disabled and the sicked could all be cared tenderly. All men and women are responsible. Resources couldn't be wasted and used only for oneself, service to and for oneself couldn't be done only by others. Then there is no longer tricks and hatred, no longer thief and bandits, and the door don't need to closed even when you go out. This is 'Da Tong' .
The reason why 'Da Tong' world become a fantasy
This political utopia is not so difficult to achieved in the agricultural era at the big family of the ancient Chinese society if the emperor is not so bad. But it is difficult to be achieved at the nowadays industrial era when the big family is difficult to exist because of the great mobility of society, and the two generations' small family is difficult to take care of the elders and the children, and when the gaps between the weaks and the strongs, the poors and the riches, the knowledgeable and the illiterate are too big to catch up with. Sweden and the other Nordic countries are great to achieve the goal of the ancient Chinese 'Da Tong' world which is now deemed as an impossible fantasy in China (PRC & ROC) even in the post-industrial era.
Familystatism have the same idea with 'welfare state'.
The word 'Sweden' probably can be the abstraction of 'sweet family garden', and 'the people's home' is also the political ideas of Social Democratic Party, in other words, when the three generations' big family are difficult to exist, the state instead then have to take the responsibility of big family to take care of the weaks' family member. So I think it is better to describe this as 'family state' than the 'welfare state', and I use the 'Jia Guo Zhu Yi' which means 'Familystatism' to describe the idea of 'family state'. I put the word 'family'(Jia)
before the word 'state' (Guo) to emphasize that it is now a democracy era and no longer a monarchic era, the family is the most important unit of the state, the state is exist to serve the need of the family, unlike most of the ancient society the family is exist to serve the need of the state.
The Confucianism must have its value
But still Sweden now have faced so many difficulties to let the state take over the entire role of big family, I personally think that it is impossible for a state to do every job where the big family could do. In Chinese we have an old saying of 'we should try to help others depend on the intimacy, the people closer to us should be the first priority to help', it doesn't means that we don't love others, it just means that we should help others by the affordability of ourself. Although this great Confucius concept have been misused to some illegal corruption act, but we also said that you should make strong differentiate between public and private, if it's the business for the public then you should without selfish and fair to everybody. So it is not the Chinese culture which have problem but it is the education, democracy, the way to conquer the crash of the big family at post-industrial era, etc need to solve. The Confucianism which has well survived for over 2500 years must have its value and consequence and should not be abandon just because we face the impact of western industrial revolution, and this big transformation is started under the western culture, so how can we blame the Confucianism to take responsibility for that, instead we should learn the reason of progressiveness of western culture under the basis of our own traditional culture, for we Chinese have more experiences to survive compared with the rest of other countries. We also say that 'Fortune will change in turns', it means nobody will always has fortunes all the time, so the recover of eastern Chinese culture is always have no doubt!
The Familism
Is it possible to let the state to take over all the role of big family?
I think that we shouldn't always try to let the state to replace the role of big family just because it is not easy to let the big family exist in this industrial era, instead, why couldn't we make effort to let the big family could still easy to exist, for this is the most natural human behavior which has existed for several thousands years. The Individualism has so many drawbacks as we can get some success of Japan to remind us, the Familism as I believed should now be realized under the basis of some good points of Individualism.
What is Familism?
The human kind is impossible to get real equality among individuals between sexes, generations and even individuals, and we should try our best to looking for ways to get the better equality, and how is it fair to let everybody have the same vote to show equality, why shouldn't children vote for the right of their own. Although the equality between families is also not easy to accomplished, but it has much more real equality than the equality between individuals, for the members of family have different sexes, different generations and probably the weaks and the strongs, so the equality between families are more fair and important than individuals. The peace of a family is definitely the most important responsibility of a state, for the three generations' family include the basic element of the society, the elders, the youngsters, and the children, and the peace of a family is sure to be the underground of the peace and prosperous of the state.
The function of big family
The big family have so many advantages compared with the small family, such as replacability, mutual-supportability, efficiency, sociability, multi-functionality, resource-saving, environment-protectability, educationalbility, privacy-protection, multiculturality, successbility, traditionalability, the succession of wisdom, etc.
The state should try to let the big family existed
Human being can never live alone, and family is the basic peaceful unit of a state, and the three generations' family is better than the two generations' family for they can easily take care each other than a two generations' family. So what a state should do is then easily seen, to make every effort to let the big three generations' family without being separated by the industrial era, do you think it is difficult to make it, I personally don't think so, and I can give you a lots of examples to show the possibility to maintain the existence of the big family. That is the way of Familism should do and should need the legislative of Family law to let this idea achieved.
Is it wise to let the state to behave as the role of the numerous big families and get too much burden or try to let every big family can still easily maintain to take care of themselves to diminish the vast burden of the state? Especially the big family is truly the inhabited nature of human being, if the problems of the existence of big family can be solved by the wisdom of the state, what a real lovely society it would be, for the affectionate between parents and children is the greatest human nature which can never be surpass!
The big burden of welfare state is partly because of the selfish of human kind and partly because of the management difficulty, although education can amend part of this drawback, but it is still can't be solve completely, so Familism would be a medicine for it, for most family member don't have too much selfish between themselves, and the selfish of family has less influential to the society than the selfish of individual too.
The grown up youngster to live away from the family to show their independence instead to let them learn to take the responsibility of the family is a great east-western difference. The necessity for this independence education make me doubted always. Personally I think it must have some reasons to do that, but I don't think it must be better absolutely, if the youngster leave the family forever then it's not good for the Familism's point of view, but if just for temporarily leaving then it's not bad I think. The institution, the company, the community, like the state should act as possible as they could to like a family and make every possible effort to support the peace of the family including the support to families' inaffordability.
The western democracy culture is the underground for Familism
I also want to emphasize that the western culture of democracy, education, equality, individual private property, science, etc are the underground for the realization of Familism, and that is also the reason why the east is weaker than the west in these latest few centuries. And of course, the weakness of eastern world doesn't mean that they don't have anything that should be learned by the west especially when the natural intimacy with relatives is the common need of the human being, and some achievements of Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, etc are the evidence of Familism too.
The form of family could be changed
If the future society progresses enough in visual communication, housing etc, can tight a family without living together, of course we can change the contents of the Familism to make a peaceful and mutual-supportable big family. For the most important thing we cared is the welfare of human being which is the truth that can never be changed, but not for the article, the ideology, the law, the state, etc itself, so they can changed anytime, and the equality, education, democracy, individual property is the basis for Familism, and nothing is always truth to make a peaceful family.
How to overcome the drawbacks of big family
The drawbacks of the traditional Chinese big family such as, unequivalance between sexes and generations, the quarrel between new and old members, the envy for property to form a new family, the family enterprise, the complete reliance to family, the violence and undue sexual between members, etc, as I could see are not that difficult to solve, some success of welfare state and Japan can give us so many concept and model to reform it.
The family-party trapezoid and individual-president pyramid
The Swedish election of party-orientated, I think it is a great improvement at democracy compared with the individual-orientated election of most of the other countries in the world. Even there is some change at the latest election in Sweden, but the individual election is still under party election. The politics mainly between the mutual interaction of family and party is better than that of individual and president, for the former get the moderated geometric trapezoid than the sharp pyramid of the latter, and The Family Republican must be better than The People Republican as it can easily be seen.
The actual realization of Familism
The family vote in stead of the solely citizen vote
Chinese has an old saying: 'three workers are always better than a talent', it means the individual's decision is always not so considerate than the group's. In other words, families' decision under meeting and other democratic procedure must get more multi-aspect considerations than individual, many matureless thinking would be diminish under family discussion, that's the reason we have many family meetings at big and prosperous families in ROC. It is a good democratic education for ordinary people, it is also a good training for a leader at any sector.
Every human being have their right at the state, if they couldn't easy to express their oponion, then the family who take care of them should decide for them, for family pay more responsibility to the state compared with the individual when they have more member to take cared of. The more the family member, the married couple and the generations should have more voting figure than individuals, that's the real equality for they have members like the children and the disabled, their consideration include the smallest fundamental interest of different-sex and different-generation group, and that is the basic structure of a stable society, so how can their opinion be neglected compare with single individual who cared only oneself. And the consequence of this action would surely make the politician take every efforts to support the welfare of the big family.
The unseperation right of family
The state should do her best to protect this important right of family, we should have the law to protect this unseperation right like work transfer must be considered for a whole family, the balance progress at every city, etc.
The following are only some fundamental ideas of the act of Familism, these ideas from me are really so primitive enough, and they need to have so many researches and discussions on it subsequently of course!
The restriction of the same family members to have too much post at the same public sector, the individualism basis of economic property and political equality, the three generations' building, family caring salary, children, disabled, sicked allowance, the natural working hour to ensure normal family life, complete free education of every level, the education right of every family member, children have the right to live with their own or one of their parents, sambo are encouraged but are discouraged to have children, individualism should not over the value of familism, individual property and family property, the family meeting, the family peace education, the family democracy, the families equality, the encouragement of big family with more married couples, family study, family court, family courteous, family member equivalence, family equality, elders' pension, etc.
The details of Familism need more research on
As for the situation of three generations' family which contains over two married couples is then the details of Familism and should be studied by every possible ways. The idea of the Familism is to encourage 'feasible married couples' included in a big family, but what is the best figure of this 'feasible married couple' then is the trade off between peace and mutual-supportability between family members. The more the state support at the education and democracy culture the more the feasible married couples will probably true as I could imagine now .
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