Old-Age Pensions

Welfare states within the traditional OECD area arranged their pension systems after 1945 so that complete exit from paid employment during an ever-longer retirement period became a universal entitlement. The institutionalization of old-age pensions in the OECD area resulted from an expansion of pension systems in several dimensions: coverage was broadened to almost the entire (working) population, eligibility criteria for enjoying a pension became liberalized (e.g. flexible retirement), the range of benefits was expanded (e.g. survivors’ pensions) and, most importantly, the generosity of benefits substantially increased. This chapter describes the origins, organization, and social consequences of mature pension systems in the developed welfare states; discusses the challenges posed to these systems by demographic, economic, and societal transformations occurring since the 1970s; and traces trajectories of reform, both actual and anticipated. Throughout, our focus is on the pension systems of the rich democracies of Western Europe, North America, and the Antipodes, with more selective attention given to developments in Latin America, Asia, and Eastern Europe.

Altersrenten und sozialer Ausgleich in Deutschland und Österreich – ein Vergleich anhand von Modellrechnungen

Die Gegenüberstellung der Rentenansprüche für einheitliche, idealtypische Biografien ermöglicht den Vergleich von Unterschieden der Rentensysteme selbst. Die von der OECD erstellten Modellbiografien mit durchgehenden Erwerbsverläufen, abschlagsfreiem Renteneintritt und stabilen Einkommenspositionen bilden den Ausgangspunkt für den Vergleich der Rentenversicherungen Deutschlands und Österreichs. Die Vorgehensweise der OECD wird dargestellt, sofern erforderlich korrigiert, aktualisiert und weiterentwickelt. Zusätzlich werden Arbeitslosigkeit, vorzeitiger Renteneintritt sowie Kindererziehungszeiten berücksichtigt. Durch diese Ergänzungen werden eine höhere Realitätsanbindung erreicht und Elemente des sozialen Ausgleichs einbezogen. Es zeigt sich, dass die österreichische Pensionsversicherung in jeder Konstellation deutlich höhere Leistungen gewährt, die Elemente des sozialen Ausgleichs den Abstand teils vergrößern, teils verringern. Abstract: Old-age Pensions and Social Equalization in Germany and Austria – a Comparison Using Model Calculations A comparison of pension entitlements based on ideal-type biographies allows for an identification of differences between pensions systems. We compare public pension schemes in Germany and Austria, starting with the OECD’s model biographies. These biographies are signified by stable employment careers and income positions, and regular retirement without deductions. The OECD’s approach is discussed, revised, updated, and amended. Periods of unemployment and childcare and early retirement are included. This leads to more realistic life courses and means an inclusion of redistributive measures. The Austrian pension insurance delivers higher benefits in every constellation discussed; redistributive elements partly increase, partly reduce differences.

Transgenders in the Mainstream: Welfare Schemes in Kerala—Kochi Metro Rail Project, Education Programme, Health Clinics, and Old-Age Pension

Marginalization is the process which inhibits an individual or community from enjoying the rights, privileges, resources or opportunities enjoyed by other members of the society. Of all its marginalized sections, society most often tends to ignore the conditions of transgender persons. The 2011 census reported 480,000 of India’s population as transgender. Kerala pioneered a model for a trans-friendly state 1 with the launch of a 10-day-long state-wide survey, which was followed by the introduction of a state policy for transgender individuals, the establishment of a justice board and India’s first transgender school, scholarships for transgender individuals and the introduction of health clinics, old-age pensions and employment for them in the Kochi Metro, as well as various literary, sports and fashion events. This study is an attempt to critically explore the welfare schemes for transgender persons in Kerala amidst recent developments.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LEGAL BASIS OF STATE PENSION PROVISION OF THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN

This article is aboutthe strong social protection implemented in the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as the components of pension assignment, their recalculation and payment system,old-age pensions (disability, survivor's pension), and the legal basis of state pension provision. In addition, the calculation of work experience, as well as the amount of social taxes paid to self-employed persons, citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistanworking abroad, engaged in individual and family business activities

From Benefits and Beneficiaries: The Historical Origins of Old-Age Pensions From a Political Regime Perspective

Global studies on the historical origins of old-age pensions from a political regime perspective are quite rare. Based on the novel PENLEG dataset this article shows that democratic and nondemocratic regimes had different policy priorities when designing old-age pensions for the first time. Whereas democracies had significantly higher legal pension coverage rates than nondemocratic regimes, the reverse pattern can be found for pension replacement rates. The study also shows that temporal effects and colonial legacy mattered. Longstanding democracies introduced much higher legal pension coverage rates than countries that had recently democratized. Additionally, the French colonial legacy spurred high legal pension coverage rates in African autocracies. These findings underline the importance of taking the multidimensionality of welfare programs into account when analyzing political regime differences. Moreover, due attention must be paid to the historical context when theorizing about welfare policies from a political regime perspective.

The fiscal effect of the recalculation of main old-age pensions stemming from L. 4387/2016

L.4387/2016 introduced the recalculation of existent pensions based on a new type of formula and replacement. The difference between the amounts paid to pensioners at that time and the amounts calculated based on the new law, quoted as personal difference, was later legislated to be either cut, if it was positive, or paid in the long run, if it was negative. This coincided with legislation that froze pension indexation for the years up to 2022. Even though the pension indexation freeze is still valid, the pension reductions initially planned for 2019 were avoided. The pension increases, where applicable, were paid as planned, again in 2019. The extensive workload demanded to make the recalculation and the fiscal gap in contributions in the Greek pension system creates space for possible future application. In this view, this paper focuses on the fiscal effect of the reduction of the personal difference in combination with the freeze in pension indexation.