With the exception of Ireland most OECD countries can be described by a similar demographic development which forces the welfare state to reform their social security systems and especially their pension systems. The populations of all the member states are shrinking and getting older. This...

Based on explicit present value calculations, the paper criticizes the view that the PAYGO system wastes economic resources. In present value terms, there is nothi ng to be gained from a transition to a funded system even though the latter offers a permanently higher rate of return. The sum of...