When I initially read your reply I was going to suggest perhaps the homogeneity of Scandinavia might be a contributing factor.  There is less of &quot;us vs them&quot; whereas in the UK and the US, there are many different groups of people, most of them are conquered people.  In those cases, it&#x27;s quite easy to see why there&#x27;s such a sharp contrast.  However, upon greater reflection, China also has very harsh sentences and a strong desire for revenge and China is pretty homogeneous so my initial theory doesn&#x27;t make sense.  One thing I wonder about is whether Scandinavia is the norm or the exception.  To someone like me, a Chinese-American, harsh sentencing and &quot;good vs evil&quot; is the social norm, even if it&#x27;s incredibly naive.  I am now really curious as to what lead to the difference.