12th Grade History

Graduation Project
Harry Brennan
COMPARING GOVERNMENTS: THE US & SWEDEN
 LEADER:
The United States Sweden

Title: THe President of the United States Title: Prime Minister

NAme: Donald j. Trump Name: Stefan Löfven

Elected or Appointed: Elected Elected Or Appointed: Party elected, prime minister

Length of term: 4 years, eligible for 2 terms
Background/Qualifications: Must be a us-born citizen, at
least 35 years old, and lived in the us for at least 14 years
prior to running
appointed
Length of term: NO Term limit, remains in power until
majority party is voted out
BackGround/Qualifications: must be a high-ranking
member of a political party/ political experience
 LAWMAKING BODY:
The United States Sweden

Title: Congress Title: Riksdag (Parliament)

Bicameral/unicameral: Bicameral BIcameral/Unicameral: Unicameral

Number of people: 100 in the Senate, 435 in the Number of people: 349 Members elected every
House Of Representatives, 1 President 4 years
 RIGHTS/PROTECTIONS:
The United States Sweden

FREEDOM OF SPEECH/PRESS: YES, GUARANTEED BY FREEDOM OF SPEECH/PRESS: YES, GUARANTEED BY

FIRST AMENDMENT THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS ACT AND THE LAW ON
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
FREEDOM OF RELIGION: YES, GUARANTEED BY THE
FIRST AMENDMENT FREEDOM OF RELIGION: Yes, Guaranteed by the
Fundamental Rights laws
RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS: YES, GUARANTEED BY THE
SECOND AMENDMENT Right to bear arms: NO, one must obtain a
license and complete various tests, tightly
regulated
COMPARING POLITICAL PARTIES
 PARTY SYSTEM:
The United States
# of parties: 2 Major parties (republican and
democrat)
Key Beliefs: Republicans support limited government
and social conservatism, democrats support
expanding the role of government and liberal
social policies.
Sweden
# of parties: Multiparty system, 8 represented in
riksdag (Top 4 are Social Democrats, Moderates,
democrats, and Green)
Key Beliefs: Social Democrats support social
democracy, moderates support Liberal
conservatism, democrats support social
conservatism and nationalism, green party
supports environmentalism
COMPARING ELECTIONS AND VOTING:
 ELECTORAL/VOTING SYSTEM:
The United States Sweden

Voting age/qualifications: 18 years, must be a citizen of Voting age/qualifications: 18 years, must be a

the us citizen/resident of sweden
Frequency of elections: Every November for state and
Frequency of elections: Every 4 years to determine
local, every 2 years for House of Representatives, Every 4
allocation of seats in the riksdag
years for president, Senators hold 6 year terms, 1/3 of
members are elected every 2 years
Types of elections held: General, but one can only
Types of elections held: Primaries held early in the year, vote for members of his or her party
General elections held in november, special elections
sometimes called to replace a certain member
TAXES/GOVERNMENTAL FUNDING:
 TAX POLICIES/GOVERNMENT FINANCE:
The United States Sweden

INCOME TAX?: YES, PROGRESSIVE (the more you make, the Income tax?: Yes, Progressive (Much higher than
more they take) united states’ rates, with a top tax rate of 56.4%)
Ways the government makes money: In addition to the
Ways the government makes money: In addition to
income tax, the government makes its money through
income taxes, sweden’s government makes money
social security and medicare taxes, corporate income
taxes, and Estate taxes.
by collecting capital taxes and corporate taxes.

Types of Spending: Military: Much higher spending than Types of spending: Military: Much lower than the US,
Sweden, Education: lower than sweden, Healthcare: Lower Education: Higher than the us (Funding for college),
than sweden Healthcare: Higher than the us (Universal
government coverage)
LAW SYSTEM:
 LAW SYSTEM:
The United States
Crime rate: .37% (373 violent crimes per 100,000
residents)
Prison Population: 2,220,000 Prisoners (.68% of total
Population)
Punishments: Prison time, fines and payments, death
penalty in certain states
Court system: District Courts (trial), Circuit courts
(Appeal), Supreme Court (Final Level of appeal)
Sweden
Crime rate: 13.9% (13,900 violent crimes per 100,000
residents)
Prison Population: 4,500 Prisoners (.047% of total
Population)
Punishments: Fines, prison time, death penalty is illegal
Court System: General (District) Courts, Courts of appeal,
Supreme court of appeals
 UNITED STATES’ RELATIONS WITH SWEDEN:
● Relations between the United States and Sweden are built on a shared heritage that dates back to 1638
when the first Swedish immigrants arrived on the shores of Delaware. Sweden was one of the first
countries to recognize U.S. independence in 1783 and the two countries have maintained a strong bilateral
friendship since then, based on shared values and mutual interests.
● The united states does not provide developmental assistance to sweden.
● Sweden is a member of the European Union (EU). The U.S. economic relationship with the EU is the largest and
most complex in the world, and the United States and the EU continue to pursue initiatives to create new
opportunities for transatlantic commerce.
● Info taken from the Us department of state (state.gov)