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Intergenerational consequences of pension reforms: Tension between democracy and equality

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  • Baurin, Arno

    (Université catholique de Louvain, LIDAM/IRES, Belgium)

  • Hindriks, Jean

    (Université catholique de Louvain, LIDAM/CORE, Belgium)

Abstract

Pension reforms, required to address the financial challenge of an ageing population, involve changing the accrual rate or the indexation rates. The accrual rate is the rate at which pension benefit is built up for each year of work. The indexation rate is the rate at which pension benefit is tied to the nominal wage growth. In this paper, we study the prospective consequences of indexation and accrual reforms and show the existence of a tension between democracy and equality. Simulating the effects of long-term budget balancing reforms, we show that 80% of the population prefers accrual over indexation reforms, with the implication that the youngest half of the population would bear 85% of the total adjustment cost. Then, we consider alternative pension reforms improving the generational balance (including policy mix and contribution reforms), and we show that all those reforms fail to get majority support. Finally we show that even though indexation reform is preferable in terms of work incentives, that does not change vote incentives. So, the tension is also between democracy and efficiency.

Suggested Citation

  • Baurin, Arno & Hindriks, Jean, 2022. "Intergenerational consequences of pension reforms: Tension between democracy and equality," LIDAM Discussion Papers CORE 2022008, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
    • Handle: RePEc:cor:louvco:2022008
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Pension reform ; Ageing ; Generational balance ; Prospective incidence ; Indexation ; Fiscal balance;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • D64 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Altruism; Philanthropy; Intergenerational Transfers
    • H55 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Social Security and Public Pensions
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs

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