Counterpoint: Single parenthood doesn't mean poverty in Norway

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In "The privilege we liberals can't see" (Sept. 15) New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof argues this unseen privilege is "the two-parent privilege." He makes a strong case that American children in single-parent families have far higher poverty rates than children in two-parent families. These data are indisputable. However, they do not tell the entire story.

First, note that among families with children, 24% of U.S. children live in single-parent families. Furthermore, the overall U.S. child poverty rate is an alarming 12%, whereas the poverty rate for children in single-parent families is an even more astounding 32%.

However, to get a better understanding of these phenomena, let's look at Norway, where 20% of children live in single-parent families. This is not quite as high as in the U.S. but is comparable. Nevertheless, the overall Norwegian child poverty rate is only 9% (three-fourths the U.S. rate) and the Norwegian child poverty rate in single-parent families is 20% (just two-thirds of the comparable U.S. rate).

Furthermore, if we look at just the poorest 20% of the populations of the U.S. and of Norway, we see that the average individual income of Norwegians in this percentile is about twice that of the average person in this percentile in the U.S.

In other words, whereas there is a clear link between child poverty and single-parenthood in the U.S., the link is less prominent and less severe in Norway. And for those children who are poor, there are far more opportunities to overcome this poverty in Norway.

For example, in contrast to the U.S., Norway has lengthy paid maternity leave, paid paternity leave, single-parent payments, free preschool and child care for low-income families, paid sick leave, universal health coverage, cheap and convenient public transport, free primary, secondary and postsecondary education, and so much more. Indeed, health care and education (and especially pre-K education), along with transportation to school (thereby avoiding the chronic high absenteeism in the U.S.) are probably most important in overcoming childhood poverty and becoming an economically successful adult.

In conclusion, let's not merely point fingers at single-parenthood as a source of child poverty. Let's look as well at the social systems and policies for education, health care and income support that exist. Finally, let's not worry too much about the fiscal impact of social programs, especially if Americans were to overcome their historic reluctance to tax the income and the wealth (such as capital gains) of its richest citizens and corporations.

Jacqueline Brux is an emeritus professor of economics, University of Wisconsin-River Falls. She is currently writing a book on the comparison between Norway and the United States in their social systems and outcomes.