Social Policies
1. The Scandinavian countries are much admired all over the world for their enlightened social policies. Sweden has evolved an excellent system for protecting the individual citizen from high-handed or incompetent public officers. The system has worked so well that it has been adopted in other countries like Denmark, Norway, Finland, and New Zealand. Even countries with large populations are now seriously considering imitating the Swedes
2. The Swedes were the first to recognize that Public officials like civil servants, police officers, health inspectors or tax collectors can make mistakes or act over-zealously in the belief that they are serving the public. As long ago as 1809, the Swedish Parliament introduced a scheme to safeguard the interest of the individual. A parliamentary committee representing all political parties appoints a person who is suitably qualified to investigate private grievances against the State”. The official title of the person is ‘Justice Ombudsman’ but Swedes commonly refer to him as the J.O’. or Ombudsman”.
3. The Ombudsman is not subject to political pressure. He investigates complaints, large and small, that come to him from all levels of society. As complaints must be made in writing, the Ombudsman receives an average of 1200 letters a year. He has eight-lawyer assistants to help him, and he examines every single letter in detail. There is nothing secretive about the Ombudsman’s work, for his correspondence is open to public inspection. If a citizen’s complaint is justified, the Ombudsman will act on his behalf. The action he takes varies according to the nature of the complaint. He may gently reprimand an official or even suggest to parliament that law is altered. The following case is a typical example of the Ombudsman’s work.
4. A foreigner living in a Swedish village wrote to the Ombudsman complaining that he had been ill-treated by the police, simply because he was a foreigner. The Ombudsman immediately wrote to the Chief of Police in the district asking him to send a record of the case. 5. There was nothing in the record to show that the foreigner’s complaint was justified and the Chief of Police stoutly denied the accusation. It was impossible for the Ombudsman to take action on the complaint, but when he received a similar complaint from another foreigner in the same village, he immediately sent one of his lawyers to investigate. The lawyer ascertained that a policeman had indeed dealt roughly with foreigners on several occasions. The fact that the policeman was prejudiced against foreigners could not be recorded in the official files. It was only possible for the Ombudsman to find this out by sending one of his representatives to check the facts on the spot. The policeman in question was severely reprimanded and was informed that if any further complaints were received against him, he would be prosecuted. The Ombudsman’s prompt action in the matter at once put an end to an unpleasant practice which might have gone unnoticed.
Word Meanings:-
Scandinavian countries—they include Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Iceland. 2. enlightened — free from prejudice or superstition 3. high-banded — using power or authority without considering the opinions and wishes of others. 4. Swedes —people of Sweden 5. Public officials — officials national and local who have to deal with the public in general. 6. civil servants — employees in government department other than the armed forces. 7. over zealously — with too much or undesired enthusiasm. 8. safeguard — protect 9. parliamentary — consisting of members from the parliament (assembly that makes the laws of a country) 10. the state — the civil government of a country. 11. Ombudsman — an official appointed by a government to investigate and report on complaints made by citizens against public authorities. 12. subject to — obliged to obey, under the pressure of 13. reprimand — rebuke somebody officially. 14. altered — changed. 15. stoutly — strongly. 16. Prejudiced — having a dislike. 17. prosecuted — bring a criminal charge against somebody in a court of law.
Questions
1.Answer the following questions as briefly as possible :
a) Why did Sweden introduce the institution of Ombudsman?
b) How is an Ombudsman chosen in Sweden?
c) How does the Ombudsman deal with the complaints?
d) How can the public find out about the Ombudsman’s work?
e) What action does the Ombudsman take if a complaint is justified?
2. Find words in the above passage which convey a similar meaning to the following :
a) oppressive (para 1)
b) protect (para 2)
c) biased (para 5)
Answers
1. a) It was done to investigate private grievances against the state.
b) He is chosen by a parliamentary committee representing all political parties.
c) He investigates all the complaints that come to him and takes action according to the nature of the complaint.
d) The public can inspect all the correspondence done with the Ombudsman and find out about his work.
e) He can reprimand the erring official or even suggest to parliament that law is
2. a) high-handed.
b) safeguard.
c) prejudiced.
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