Many progressive American policy analysts point to Denmark as a model welfare state with low levels of income inequality and high levels of income mobility across generations. It has in place many social policies now advocated for adoption in the U.S. Despite generous Danish social policies, family influence on important child outcomes in Denmark is about as strong as it is in the United States. More advantaged families are better able to access, utilize, and influence universally available programs. Purposive sorting by levels of family advantage create neighborhood effects. Powerful forces not easily mitigated by Danish-style welfare state programs operate in both countries.

许多进步的美国政策分析人士指出，丹麦是一个模范的福利国家，其收入不平等程度低，代际间收入流动性很高。尽管丹麦实行了慷慨的社会政策，但丹麦已经实行了许多现在被美国采纳的社会政策。尽管丹麦采取了慷慨的社会政策，但家庭对重要的儿童结局的影响力却与美国相当。更具优势的家庭更有能力访问，利用和影响普遍可用的程序。按家庭优势水平进行有目的的排序会产生邻里效应。丹麦式的福利国家计划无法轻易缓解强大的力量，这两个国家都在行动。