Overview
Throughout the developed world, public and private pension schemes face major challenges that are creating irresistible pressures for reform. Major structural changes in Latin America and in Central and Eastern Europe have led to particularly fierce pressure. Two member states of the European Union - Italy and Sweden - have introduced radical reform of their public pensions systems; controversial pension reforms have been proposed in France and Germany; and the British government has been widely criticized over its pension reforms and its 2002 white paper.This exceptional volume examines the challenges faced by pension schemes in the advanced economies and the reforms that have been introduced to tackle these challenges. A team of international contributors provides an up-to-date, invaluable analysis of different aspects of pension problems, prospects and reforms. The book incorporates cross-national chapters as well as a focus on individual countries including Belgium, Brazil, Columbia, Finland, Greece, Italy, Sweden, the UK and the USA.
Contents: Introduction, Einar Overbye and Peter A. Kemp. Promoting Later Exit: Pension incentives and early retirement, Richard Blundell
Role of the firm in early retirement, Tuulia Hakola and Roope Uusitalo. Reform Experiences: Brazilian social security and Latin-American structural reforms, Milko Matijascic
Social security reform: the United States in 2002, Andrew A. Samwick
Do individuals make informed pension programme choices? Evidence from Columbia, Kristin J. Kleinjans
Swedish pension reform: comments and reflections, Tor Eriksen and Edward Palmer
Elderly assistance in Italy and the social pension scheme, Daniela Monacelli
The failures of Bismarck and Beveridge: the case of old-age pensions for the self-employed in Belgium, Bea Cantillon
The politics of pension reform in Greece, Polyxeni Triantafillou
Financial resources in retirement: the roles of pensions and other sources, Peter Scherer. Pension Reforms and the Emerging Public/Private Mix: The relationship of the public/private mix with poverty and inequality, Martin Rein and Christina Behrendt
Income change and distribution upon widowhood: comparison of Britain, the United States and Germany, Karen Holden and Jennie Brand
Index. Professor Peter Saunders, University of New South Wales, Australia
"Politicians in industrialised countries all over the world are struggling to reform their public pension systems often in the face of the vocal opposition of their electorates. This volume is a fascinating and timely collection of essays on this important subject." Professor Jonathan Bradshaw, University of York, UK
Author Biography: About the Editors: Einar Overbye is Senior Researcher at NOVA (the Norwegian Social Research Institute) in Oslo, Norway.
Peter A. Kemp is Professor of Social Policy and Director of the Social Policy Research Unit at the University of York.
Synopsis
Economists, sociologists, and other social scientists from Europe, the US, and Brazil explore how developed economies are dealing with capitalist demands to reduce benefits to retired workers. Their topics include promoting later exit from work, evidence from Columbia about whether people make informed pension program choices, elderly assistance in Italy and the social pension scheme, the politics of pension reform in Greece, and the relationship of the public/private mix to poverty and inequality. The 12 studies were selected from the June 2002 gathering of a small annual international conference in Sigtuna, Sweden. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR