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The Political Economy of Redistributive Social Security

Author

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  • Mr. Pierre Pestieau

Abstract

Population aging puts significant pressure on social security systems that are based mainly on a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) formula and determined by the political process in which both retirees and future retirees participate. This paper demonstrates that in an economic and demographic steady state, majoritarian democracy overspends on social security. It then shows that in case of demographic shock, the regular majority process can be paralyzed by the development of entrenched interest groups that could lose from majority decisions. Depending on the way these entrenched interests operate, they can be judged more or less desirable from the viewpoint of social justice.

Suggested Citation

  • Mr. Pierre Pestieau, 1999. "The Political Economy of Redistributive Social Security," IMF Working Papers 1999/180, International Monetary Fund.
    • Handle: RePEc:imf:imfwpa:1999/180
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    Cited by:

    1. Partha Sen, 2020. "Postponing Retirement and Social Security in a Two Sector Model," CESifo Working Paper Series 8751, CESifo.
    2. Sarah Brockhoff & Stéphane Rossignol & Emmanuelle Taugourdeau, 2012. "The three worlds of welfare capitalism revisited," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) halshs-00679066, HAL.
    3. Conde-Ruiz, Jose Ignacio & Galasso, Vincenzo, 2005. "Positive arithmetic of the welfare state," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(5-6), pages 933-955, June.
    4. Partha Sen, 2023. "Social security reform and welfare in a two sector model," The Japanese Economic Review, Springer, vol. 74(2), pages 233-249, April.
    5. Casarico, Alessandra & Devillanova, Carlo, 2008. "Capital-skill complementarity and the redistributive effects of Social Security Reform," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(3-4), pages 672-683, April.
    6. J. Ignacio Conde-Ruiz & Paola Profeta, "undated". "What Social Security: Beveridgean or Bismarckian?," Working Papers 2003-16, FEDEA.
    7. J. Ignacio Conde-Ruiz & Paola Profeta, 2007. "The Redistributive Design of Social Security Systems," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 117(520), pages 686-712, April.
    8. De Menil, Georges & Murtin, Fabrice & Sheshinski, Eytan & Yokossi, Tite, 2016. "A rational, economic model of paygo tax rates," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 55-72.
    9. Norkina, Olga A. (Норкина, Ольга А.), 2018. "Financial Repression and Populism [Финансовая Репрессия И Популизм]," Ekonomicheskaya Politika / Economic Policy, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, vol. 1, pages 122-147, February.
    10. Gustafsson, Johan, 2021. "Public Pension Reform and the Equity-Efficiency Trade-off," Umeå Economic Studies 992, Umeå University, Department of Economics.

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