Family, economy and development of the welfare state in Norway and Sweden in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Summary Seen from afar, it seems that Denmark, Norway and Sweden form a single entity, Scandinavia. In fact, when we talk about the Nordic countries and a fortiori the Scandinavian countries, the notion of unity takes precedence over the notion of diversity. The grouping of these countries into the "Scandinavian model" contributes to the amalgam. Thus, the comparative study of Sweden and Norway is particularly stimulating. The purpose of this study is to analyze the progressive intervention of the State in the field of the family. The first social laws adopted to protect certain family members appeared punctually at the end of the 19th century. First there were laws aimed at recognizing the status of the child, but in addition to this role of guardian of the rights of the child, the State had to provide assistance to families. In a sense, this function is the result of the modification of the status of the child, since it has the corollary of transforming the relationships within the family and even imposing new roles on the parents, mainly the mothers. The historical and political evolution of women's rights and then of mothers' rights shaped policies for families in the early 20th century. Even if the establishment of family policies is strongly correlated to the establishment of welfare states, this historical perspective via maternity policies is an essential link in understanding the content of current family policies. Since the 1970s, policy priorities have shifted towards a model that emphasizes measures to harmonize the family and professional spheres. However, the policy of reconciling family and professional activities is upsetting the traditional standards of motherhood. Compared to Sweden, Norway is the poor relation in this field. Does this mean that Norwegian and Swedish family policies do not fit into the same model?