The reform of Bismarckian pension systems : : a comparison of pension politics in Austria, France, Germany, Italy and Sweden / / Martin Schludi.

• Superior document: Changing welfare states
• VerfasserIn: Schludi, Martin,
• Place / Publishing House: Amsterdam : : Amsterdam University Press,, 2005.
• Year of Publication: 2005
• Edition: 1st ed.
• Language: English
• Series: Changing welfare states.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (311 pages) :; digital, PDF file(s).
• Notes: Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Feb 2021).

Sluggish economic growth, rising unemployment, and a rapidly aging population all exert financial pressure on public pension systems and highlight the need for major reform. Martin Schludi traces the political process of pension reform in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, and Sweden from the 1980s onward and skillfully analyzes the various political and economic factors in pension reform, such as gaining public support for policy initiatives. Schludi also considers case studies that range from successfully restructured pension arrangements to complete policy failures. This volume is an essential and valuable resource that demystifies the complex factors involved in social policy reforms driven by fiscal concerns.

Table of Contents

Front matter -- Table Of Contents -- Acknowledgements -- Introduction -- 1. The Need for Pension Reform: A Problem-Oriented Perspective -- 2. An Empirical Overview of Policy Change in Bismarckian Pension Regimes -- 3. The Politics of Pension Reform: An Actor-Centred Explanatory Framework -- 4. Sweden: Policy-Oriented Bargaining -- 5. Italy: Corporatist Concertation in the Shadow of EMU -- 6. Germany: From Consensus To Conflict -- 7. Austria: Reform Blockage by the Trade Unions -- 8. France: Adverse Prerequisites for a Pension Consensus -- 9. Conclusion -- Appendix I. Summary Description of Retirement Systems (1986) -- Appendix II. Chronology of National Pension Reforms (from 1989 until 2001) -- Appendix III. Glossary of Terms -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index