Parenting and public policy: Contextualizing the Swedish corporal punishment ban

Abstract

On 1 July 1979, a law went into effect in Sweden that outlawed all forms of physical punishment of children, including that administered by parents. While the history of this law has been fully described elsewhere, scant attention has been paid to the political and social contexts in which the law emerged and found public support. It is argued in the present paper that the abolition of corporal punishment in Sweden (1) took place within a broader context supporting the legal recognition of children's rights, (2) reflects a collectivist cultural ideology, and (3) is one component of a social policy framework emphasizing prevention over intervention. Implications of the Swedish ban for legislative change in other countries are discussed.

Key Words:

• Sweden
• corporal punishment
• parenting
• public policy
• cultural ideology