Do different welfare states engender different policy preferences? Opinions on pension reforms in Eastern and Western Europe

Bibliographic Data

ID11200567
AuthorsKATALIN VELLADICS (Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute), Kène Henkens (0000-0002-3416-5191, Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute), Hendrik P Van Dalen (0000-0002-1628-9764, Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute)
Year2006
Volume26
Issue3
Pages475-495
Publication date2006-05-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAgeing and Society (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0144-686X • E-ISSN: 1469-1779
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0144686x05004551
OpenAlexW2111582529
LanguageEN
Citations received10
References cited9

This article examines whether the different welfare states of the European Union member states engender different policy preferences and attitudes among the population. More specifically, it investigates variations in attitudes towards population ageing and pension reforms, and variations in people's retirement age preferences and expectations. It is shown that despite the different cultures and welfare traditions in the old and new member states, there are commonalities in people's value orientations and views about population ageing, not least that the vast majority are pessimistic about the consequences. In both Eastern and Western Europe, the most popular options for pensions reform are to raise taxes and to extend working life, and few favour reducing pension benefits. Despite these similarities, there are also marked attitudinal differences. Eastern Europeans rely more on their children for old-age care and are much more in favour of a pension structure in which benefits depend on the number of children. On personal expectations and preferences for retirement, it is shown that both Eastern and Western Europeans expect to retire from the labour market at an older age than the current actual retirement age

Demographic economics · Economic policy · Economics · European union · Labour economics · Market economy · Member states · Pension · Pessimism · Political science · Population · Population ageing · Retirement age · Sociology · Value (mathematics) · Welfare · Welfare state · Demography · Global Health Care Issues · Law · Retirement, Disability, and Employment · Social Policy and Reform Studies

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