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Is There a Role for Social Pensions in Asia?

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  • Armando Barrientos

Abstract

Rapid population ageing and economic transformation in Asia underline the policy challenges associated with ensuring income security in old age. This article examines the potential role of social pensions in securing old-age income security in Asia. It assesses the main policy trade-offs associated with adopting alternative social pension designs, especially around two critical policy points: the comparative advantages of social assistance and social pensions; and the integration of non-contributory transfers within advanced contributory pension schemes.

Suggested Citation

  • Armando Barrientos, 2015. "Is There a Role for Social Pensions in Asia?," Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 2(1), pages 8-20, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:asiaps:v:2:y:2015:i:1:p:8-20
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    2. Zhang, Xiang & Li, Dongwen & Zhan, Peng & Bai, Xianchun, 2023. "Who benefits from the basic old-age insurance contribution subsidy policy for the disabled?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 338(C).
    3. Oh, Jongseok & Son, Seho & Lee, Kun, 2025. "Exclusion from a ‘mandatory’ pension scheme: Late-stage dropouts from the National Pension System in South Korea," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 31(C).
    4. Hu, Shu & Das, Dhiman, 2019. "Quality of life among older adults in China and India: Does productive engagement help?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 229(C), pages 144-153.
    5. Kang, Ji Young & Park, Sojung & Ahn, Seoyeon, 2022. "The effect of social pension on consumption among older adults in Korea," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 22(C).
    6. Haiyan Jia & Xiaoyu Sai & Yangyue Su & Ying Huang, 2022. "Measurement and Decomposition of the Health Poverty of Rural Residents in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-20, October.
    7. Yanjun Ren & Weigang Liu & Xuexi Huo & Thomas Glauben, 2023. "The impact of old‐age pension on nutritional outcomes: Evidence from Kyrgyzstan," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 39(S1), pages 1358-1381, December.
    8. Sipei Xu & Jia Zhang, 2022. "Do Social Pensions Affect the Physical and Mental Health of Rural Children in China? An Intergenerational Care Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-25, March.

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