4 Things Politicians Will Never Understand About Poor People

Sweden is obviously doing it right, unlike most other countries. Health care, education, housing, and other essential human needs are provided by the government, as they should be in a functional society. This is the 21st century--there's no excuse that any country should have a large portion of its populace impoverished when there are plenty of resources available to eliminate scarcity. What I find absurd is that people are quick to blame the vast majority of impoverished people for 'poor lifestyle choices' without providing sources to back up their claims. Most, if not all, of these problems can be solved with social assistance from the government.

 Spoiler

Education, literacy

school enrolment: primary education 6-11 years: 100%

school enrolment: secondary education: 91%

school enrolment: tertiary education 20-24 years: 31%

adult literacy: virtually 100% (male: %; female: %)

Economy and trade

currency: krona = 100 öre

annual inflation rate: 2%

population below poverty line: 7%

Gross Domestic Product: USD 27000 per capita

GNI USD 27140 per capita //; - [ppp: 23970]

GDP growth: 2%

income: USD per capita

import: USD 63987 per capita //; - export: USD 82881 per capita

trade: USD per capita //; - or 70% of GDP

trade partners: NO US GB DE FI DK

human development index: 0,936 //; - position of the country in the world no.: 4

female labour force: 48%

unemployment: 4,7%

tourism: 3 million

http://www.populstat.info/Europe/swedeng.htm

I wouldn't completely agree because:
For example, in Colombia the constitution says that Education must be free for everyone:

Article 27: The state guarantees the liberties of teaching, learning, investigation and cathedra

Article 67: Education will be free in State institutions...

But government/politicians can't be trusted with that kind of responsibility/money. Welfare state means having people in charge of distributing money/goods and if we weren't know for our drugs (coffee too) we would be know for our insane corruption levels. So, we don't have free or universal education(page 5). Even worse, money actually spent in professional education is really, really low (Statistics might state otherwise because "technical degrees apparently count as professional, even if they don't have the same control"). And that's just education. Point is, not every country is as mature and responsible as some european ones appear to be (even when economic crashes in Spain had to do with "abused" essential needs given by the state). Saying that every country should work on "universal state welfare" is just asking for trouble in a country like mine.
Also because, and it's even worse, it can be construed in a way similar to what happens in countries like Cuba, and other asian countries. No social liberties, but "covered" econmic/essential needs.

I'd say that you're right, any country's government should provide people with essential needs, but only ideally. In reallity, different countries need different approaches.