Mit der Wahl des Generalthemas "Die Zukunft des Sozialstaats" hat sich der Vorstand des Vereins für Socialpolitik für die Jahrestagung 1998 in Rostock ein Programm vorgegeben, das nicht nur beziehungsreich für den Verein, sondern auch europaweit von besonderer Aktualität ist. Die Frage nach...

Based on explicit present value calculations, the paper criticizes the view that the PAYGO system wastes economic resources. In present value terms, there is nothing to be gained from a transition to funded system even though the latter offers a permanently higher rate of return. The sum of the...

We model the optimal reaction of a public PAYG pension system to demographic shocks. We compare the ex-ante first best and second best solution of a Ramsey planner with full commitment to the outcome under simple third best rules that mimic the pension systems observed in the real world. The...

Demographic change has differential impacts on the welfare of current and future generations. In a simple closed economy, aging -- a relative scarcity of young workers -- increases wages, increasing the welfare of the young. At the same time, population aging will reduce rates of return to...