Welfare Reform Research Articles

Медико-демографические показатели населения села старше трудоспособного возраста в Республике Татарстан.

Demographic aging of the population is especially pronounced in rural areas and has regional differences. Purpose of the study: based on the analysis of medical and demographic indicators of mortality and morbidity of the rural population over working age in the Republic of Tatarstan (RT), to develop proposals for the health of rural residents. Methods and materials: analytical, statistical, Rosstat data and statistical materials from the Federal State Budgetary Institution “TsNIIOIZ” of the Russian Ministry of Health (2019–2022). Results. During the years of pension reform (2019–2023), the number of rural population in the Republic of Tatarstan increased slightly – from 922,3 to 930,3 thousand (0,9%), while the share of the rural population over working age decreased from 28,6 up to 27,5% (in the Russian Federation the figure is lower – 25,5%). The mortality rates of the rural population in the Republic of Tatarstan were significantly higher for all years of analysis: in 2013 they were 15,5‰ for the rural population, 11,0 for the urban population. During the years of COVID‑19, mortality rates increased and amounted to 18,9‰ for the rural population in 2021, 14,4‰ for the urban population, and decreased in 2022 and amounted to 14.1 and 10,3‰, respectively. The primary morbidity rate of the rural population in the Russian Federation (2022) was 64755,2 per 100 thousand rural population, in the Republic of Tatarstan it was lower – 52598,4‰îî. There is a large difference in the indicators in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation – 13,6 times. The newly identified morbidity in the rural population over working age in the Republic of Tatarstan is lower than 48996,2‰îî than in the entire rural population 52598,4‰îî, while the older population has the highest rates of primary morbidity due to diseases of the circulatory system, diseases of the bones, muscular system and connective tissue, diseases of the genitourinary system, diseases of the nervous system, neoplasms, etc. In this age group, the incidence of COVID‑19 is higher. The results of the study should be taken into account for the development of management decisions at the regional level, as well as when implementing programs for rehabilitation and medical examination of older patients.

Refugee Benefit Cuts

This paper analyzes the effects of Denmark’s Start Aid welfare reform that targets refugees. Implemented in 2002, it enables us to study not only the reform’s immediate effects but also its longer-term consequences and its repeal a decade later. The reform-induced large transfer cuts led to an increase in employment rates, but only in the short run. Overall, the reform increased poverty rates and led to a rise in subsistence crime. Moreover, local demand conditions generate substantial heterogeneity in the reform’s effects on immediate and longer-term employment. (JEL I32, I38, J15, J22, J64, K42)

Pensions under Pressure: Unraveling the Crisis and Debating Reform in USA’s Aging Society

Abstract: This research paper critically examines the challenges facing the pension system in the United States amidst a rapidly aging society. As demographic shifts lead to an increasing proportion of the population entering retirement, the strain on pension funds intensifies. The paper delves into the intricate interplay of factors contributing to the crisis, encompassing demographic changes, economic challenges, and policy issues. Demographically, the rising life expectancy poses a significant strain on pension programs, necessitating a re-evaluation of their sustainability. Economic hurdles, including low interest rates and market volatility, further compound the issue by affecting pension fund investments. The regulatory framework and policy landscape are scrutinized to assess their efficacy in responding to the evolving needs of an aging society. This paper not only identifies the problems but engages in a comprehensive debate on potential reforms. From adjusting retirement ages to exploring innovative financial instruments, various options are considered to address the pressing challenges. The research concludes by emphasizing the urgency of finding sustainable solutions to alleviate the pressure on the pension system, ensuring the financial security of retirees in the face of an aging population. The insights presented contribute to the ongoing discourse on pension reform, seeking a balanced approach that safeguards the interests of both retirees and the stability of the pension system.

An analysis of precautionary behavior in retirement decision making with an application to pension system reform

We analyze how precautionary motives affect the decisions of a risk-averse agent on saving, labor supply and retirement. In a setting where there is a random shock which affects agent disutility from work, we show that uncertainty directly affects retirement age and saving, but leaves labor supply during working age unchanged. In particular, a precautionary motive for retirement always arises, which pushes the agent to bring forward retirement in the presence of a risk on the cost of work effort. Moreover, prudence and a sufficiently high level of absolute temperance are sufficient conditions for precautionary saving. In this setting, we also study the effects of two common reforms of the pension system: an increase in pension contributions and a cut in pension benefits. The conditions for the agent to postpone retirement and increase labor supply are studied. This makes it possible to characterize the circumstances when the financial soundness of the pension system improves after these reforms.

Whole-Russian Scientific and Practical Conference «Well-Being Measuring and Analyzing»

The article contains an overview of reports presented at the Whole-Russian scientific and practical conference «Well-being Measuring and Analyzing», held on 25–27 January 2024 at St. Petersburg State Economic University (UNECON). The program of the conference included 142 reports in face-to-face and online formats. Approximately a quarter of all the conference papers were presented by young researchers – students, undergraduates, and postgraduate students – who co-authored work with academic supervisors. Scientists from educational and research institutions from 19 constituent entities of the Russian Federation and seven foreign countries delivered their presentations.The conference participants discussed the accumulated domestic and international experience in measuring well-being, highlighting specific features and regional characteristics of this socio-economic phenomenon. Aspects of the application of statistical and econometric methods of analysis and forecasting in studying issues of welfare and social inequality were considered, including measuring the level of poverty, the impact of pension system reform, changes in consumer behavior of the population in the housing market, ways to solve social problems in certain regions, including, Arctic zone. The participants identified directions for improving the methodology for measuring well-being and measures to address social inequality at the federal and regional levels.

Pension reforms in Hungary: have they gone too far?

Abstract As a result of unfavorable demographic processes, the pension systems in the Central and Eastern European (CEE) EU countries face significant challenges, which has made the implementation of reforms inevitable in the last decade. Relying on economic theory, this paper analyses the effects of the Hungarian pension reforms in comparison with those of other CEE countries, and discusses the consequences from the point of view of social policy and the sustainability of the pension schemes. We explore the reasons why the reforms in Hungary ultimately did not improve sustainability but rather contributed to dismantling the social care system. Therefore, the Hungarian case provides useful lessons for other countries, and at the same time underlines the importance of automatic adjustment mechanisms. The study pays particular attention to the theoretical analysis of pension indexation because its accurate quantitative effects are far from being sufficiently clarified in the literature, although it is vital for a thoughtful evaluation of pension reforms.

Adapting to Demographic Shifts: China's Policy Approaches in Mitigating Healthcare and Retirement Challenges Posed by Aging Populations

China is witnessing a profound demographic transformation marked by a swift rise in its elderly population, posing significant challenges to healthcare and retirement systems. This study investigates the multifaceted impact of this demographic shift, evaluating the effectiveness of government policies in mitigating these challenges. Driven by increased life expectancy and declining fertility rates, this demographic transition necessitates strategic policy responses. The central argument revolves around scrutinizing the efficacy of China's policies in addressing healthcare and retirement hurdles arising from this demographic change. The hypothesis posits that governmental initiatives, such as healthcare infrastructure investments, pension system reforms, and expanded healthcare coverage, will partially alleviate existing challenges. Moreover, the paper hypothesizes on the societal impact of these policies, aiming to enhance elderly individuals' quality of life, alleviate healthcare-related financial burdens, and stimulate economic growth while relieving social welfare pressures. Employing a literature analysis methodology, this study critically evaluates existing scholarly works, policy documents, and empirical studies. While acknowledging the present challenges, it anticipates potential disparities in medical resources, sustainability concerns in pension systems, and issues surrounding the social integration of the elderly as the aging population expands. Recommendations underscore the necessity for adaptive policies to sustainably address these challenges. Through a comprehensive approach, this paper analyzes current policies, forecasts their impact, and conjectures future challenges, aiming to provide holistic insights into the effectiveness of policies aimed at managing the intricacies of an aging population in China.

Welfare Reform and Social Integration: Analysis of the Impact of Policy Adjustments on the Integration of Vulnerable Groups into Society and the Promotion of Social Cohesion

The elderly, children, the disabled, the poor, etc. make up a significant portion of the population, and they are the most vulnerable groups in society. Without the help of relevant policies, their life and employment could be very difficult. Recently, social stratification has become so severe that government around the world cant longer afford to ignore this large part of population. In order to help them integrate into society, the international community has introduced a number of policies to help them. This paper takes China as an example, divide the part focus on different group, discusses how these China's policies can help the vulnerable groups, and uses case studies to demonstrate the impact of these policies on the integration of the vulnerable groups into the society. Most of these policies have worked, this is because the government takes into account the personality and ideological factors of different people, we find these specific policies and will show in the cases

“An Army of Little Mothers”: Progressive Era Eugenic Maternalism and the Medicalization of Motherhood

AbstractThis article explores the role of the Little Mothers’ Leagues in New York City, clubs created by public health authorities to educate working-class girls as young as eight years old who took care of their younger siblings while their parents worked. The Little Mothers’ Leagues served as an essential link between social reform and eugenic public health programming during the first two decades of the twentieth century. Eugenic maternalism, as articulated by the Little Mothers’ Leagues, distilled a sense of Americanness into a set of hygienic practices and rituals that could be easily understood and imitated. Through the Little Mothers’ Leagues, eugenic maternalist reformers addressed essential questions regarding the role of social reform in the “Americanization” process, the role of young girls as citizens and as entry points to the immigrant home, and the extent to which environmental reform could regulate the immigrant family. Examining the Little Mothers’ Leagues as a project that was both eugenic and maternalist allows us to better understand the ways that eugenic thinking permeated popular discourse through child welfare reform and domestic science.

Assessment of satisfaction with contributory pension scheme among retired staff of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University and Federal Polytechnic Bauchi, Nigeria

The new contributory pension scheme (CPS) was introduced by the Pension Reform Act, 2004 reviewed in 2014.The reform became necessary in order alleviate the constraints of Defined Pension Scheme in Nigeria. Evidently the old pension scheme became operationally unsustainable due to deficit funding, weak administrative structure, frequent increase in salary etc. To this end the new contributory pension scheme was introduced in 2004 making it mandatory for both employees and employers to contribute a certain percentage into retirement savings account of individual prospective retiree. This is with a view to build in confidence among retirees of the safety and immediate payment of their benefit. The study intends to assess the satisfaction of contributory pension scheme among retired staff of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University and Federal Polytechnic Bauchi. The data for the study were generated from primary and secondary sources. The instruments of the primary data collection used were questionnaire and interview, while secondary sources made use of reports, books, magazines, gazettes, journals, research theses and dissertations and the internet. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical tools. Questionnaires were distributed on a sample of 107 respondents selected from the population of the study through simple random sampling techniques to test the hypotheses. Chi square analysis tests result revealed that, compliance with the contributory pension scheme significantly improved prompt payment of lump sum benefits and implementation of CPS has significantly improved easy and timely access to pension benefits in RSA by retirees in ATBU and FPTB. However, it was recommended among other things that, PENCOM should ensure the achievement of a competitive return on investment through strong policies that will bring good investment and sustained output growth required to guarantee higher RSA growth and pension payment of retirees to improve the living standard of retirees. PENCOM should ensure close supervision, monitoring and evaluation of the performance of PFA’s in order to achieve efficiency in pension system. This will ensure transparency and continue promptness in payments, which are major setback of the old scheme.

Improving pension savings investing: The case of Russia

Many countries seek to improve their pension systems by introducing corporate and individual savings plans to address the challenges of demography, social security, and economy. However, the establishing of a long-term, reliable savings system encounters multiple impediments. The retrospective analysis of Russian pension reforms offers some recommendations on solving the typical problems faced by reformers. Thus, in 2002 the Russian pension system was implemented by a mandatory savings pillar, which 20 years later the Ministry of Finance substituted by voluntary savings­. As this period appeared shorter than the average life span, this measure proved ­ineffective in increasing pension payouts for future retirees. The frequent regulatory changes and the shrinking workforce coverage as the state prioritized the welfare of the current pension recipients also infringed upon the interests of future retirees. Pension savings investments were further affected by the economic policy aimed at the minimal return requirements which resulted in a more conservative asset allocation strategy and inefficient active management in non-state pension funds. The study demonstrates that policy actions to overcome these impediments and to raise the replacement rates for future retirees should include (a) steady regulations within a pension savings system of no shorter than 40 years; (b) the savings pillar covering no less than 80% of the workforce; and (c) the asset allocation strategy involving a bigger share of equity, longer time horizon and clear benchmarks. These recommendations can be applied to emerging market economies concerned with improving and reforming their pension systems.

Looking beyond the workplace: Trade unions and the politics of poverty in Italy

AbstractThere is ample literature to suggest that labour's interests are at odds with the extension of income protection to ‘outsiders’. Until recently, Italian unions were reluctant, if not outright obstructive, towards the introduction of a minimum income scheme (MIS). After the 2008 financial crisis and its dramatic social and economic consequences, however, the three major labour confederations supported the introduction of a national MIS, openly embracing the fight against income insecurity. Why did trade unions overturn their conservative approach and eventually support social assistance safety nets? Drawing upon textual evidence and semi‐structured interviews, the paper suggests that the Italian labour movement, albeit with differences among the confederations, has radically changed its preferences towards social assistance. Unions gradually shifted from a ‘deservingness’ logic (championing ‘hard work’) to one of reservation wage (the ‘we are all in the same boat’ narrative). Weaknesses in labour market peripheries have encouraged the labour movement to defend those at risk of poverty. The Italian case has wider implications for actors' preferences and roles in welfare reform, showing that structural and strategic factors may encourage labour to join coalitions that support welfare ‘de‐dualisation’ pathways.

Inclusive Labor Market and Participation of Person with Disabilities: Case Study in Indonesia, Denmark, France, and Ireland

An inclusive labor market for persons with disabilities is one of the priority issues discussed in the G20, especially in the Employment Working Group (EWG) field. Typically, the number of individuals with disabilities participating in the labor market is lower than that of their non-disabled counterparts, mainly due to the company’s reluctance to hire disabled workers. This study aims to investigate the impact of disability on participation in the inclusive labor market. This research uses panel data from four countries - Indonesia, Denmark, France, and Ireland - spanning the years 2016 to 2021, sourced from the International Labor Organization (ILO). The variables used to determine the factors that influence the participation of individuals with disabilities in the labor market are their educational level, the number of disabled individuals in rural areas and their average income. By using the Fixed Effect Model, it is known that people with disabilities who have received education and the number of people with disabilities living in urban areas have a positive and significant effect on the participation of people with disabilities in the labor market. Meanwhile, the average income of people with disabilities has a negative and insignificant effect on the participation of people with disabilities in the labor market. Efforts to increase the participation of people with disabilities in the labor market are important as welfare reform, indicators of the success of inclusive development and poverty alleviation among groups of people with disabilities.

Disability, employment and welfare reform: A comparative analysis of Australia and Denmark

AbstractFrom the poor‐relief tradition to the social citizenship‐based development of the welfare state, the question of available social supports for people with disability has been one of the central issues of welfare reform agendas. Under the increasing influence of neoliberal rationalities, many welfare states have engaged in the redefinition of capacity and incapacity to work in an attempt to manage the fiscal cost of a growing number of people on disability pension and work incapacity benefits. These reconfigurations of income transfers have significant implications for the social and economic participation of people with disability. This article seeks to build knowledge about the policy implications of these changes by comparing recent disability policies in two very different welfare states—Australia and Denmark—who have contrasting approaches to activation measures concerning people with disability. This article examines how these welfare states have reconfigured the meaning of disability, thereby either restricting further or relaxing the conditions of labour market activation. Through these two cases, we argue that there is a case for labour market participation insofar as rights to work through improved employment opportunities take precedence over punitive regimes that reduce access to income support.

The politics of anger: emotional appraisal mechanisms and the French pension reform protests

In this article, using the French pension reform in 2020 as a case, we demonstrate how a focus on emotions helps us to better understand important policy dynamics. While existing approaches of welfare state reform typically focus on rational-materialist and institutionalist approaches, we use appraisal theory of emotion to explain how the reform project and process on the one hand and interest group behaviour and protest on the other are linked via a mechanism of anger. Material interests of different groups of citizens and trade unions clearly matter, but they cannot sufficiently explain the process through which disagreement could erupt in one of the largest and longest protest movements in recent French history. Theoretically integrating material interests and moral reasoning and using a variety of qualitative and public opinion data, we trace the escalation of conflict between key actors which ultimately impeded a comprehensive reform in 2020. Our findings have important implications for research on the role of emotions in policymaking.

Advancing a prevention-oriented support system for the health and safety of children

Child welfare and child protection systems are entrenched institutionally and their value stances on working with marginalized groups are, at times, antithetical to the value framework of public health approaches. Differences are sufficiently wide as to render these child welfare systems incapable of advancing a robust prevention agenda focused on child safety and well-being. In this article, we argue for institutionally distinct, yet cooperative approaches focused on universal and secondary-level family and community supports, aimed at breaking down silos and shifting our attention from child welfare reform to community-based systems that are better positioned to proactively meet the needs of children and families before they find themselves in crisis. Within the article, we focus on key tensions and arguments for separate yet cooperative approaches across systems and organizational silos, including the divide between preventive and responsive frameworks, the capacity constraints on existing–reactive–child welfare systems, and shifting the dial to population-wide prevention strategies to address the growing awareness that child maltreatment is a far wider problem than indicated by the number of children reported to child welfare agencies.

An Assessment of the 2019 and 2020 Pension Reforms in Mexico

An Assessment of the 2019 and 2020 Pension Reforms in Mexico

“An Emporium of Beggars,” Medical Rhetoric, Disability, and Philadelphia’s Early Nationalist Welfare Crises

Abstract: In the early 1800s, cities across the Atlantic world launched welfare reforms designed to curtail excessive spending. Cities like Philadelphia opened numerous investigations into the rise of poverty and local governments ushered in new practices that depended heavily on institutions like hospitals, prisons, and boarding schools. This article considers the rhetoric used by early Philadelphia reformers to defend reform practices. Relying on hundreds of pension applications, I compare descriptions of the poor offered by government officials with actual pension records. I argue that these reforms evidence a shifting of historic protections for disabled persons, and a refusal on behalf of government officials to acknowledge the rise of a disabled minority in the United States. Changes to the poor laws barred disabled populations from securing home-based care resources, and posed institutionalization as the sole solution to rising poverty rates.

Civil and legal regulation of investment activities of life insurance companies

The paper is devoted to some features of the investment activity by life of insurance companies, as well as their civil law regulation. Attention is focused on the fact that life and health insurance is a direction of non-state pension provision in the context of pension reform in Ukraine. A range of questions from potential consumers of insurance services in the field of life and health insurance regarding the investment activity of insurers, methods and means of placing investments, their legal regulation, guarantees of the integrity and safety of accumulation under the life insurance contract has been determined. Scientific approaches to the understanding of investments in general, and the peculiarities of investment activity by life insurance companies have been studied. The norms of national legislation, international financial reporting standards regulating long-term life insurance contracts, including those with an investment component, were analyzed. The civil law procedure for investing funds raised by insurance companies under long-term life insurance contracts and investment life insurance contracts is defined. Examples of investment activities of insurance companies that are leaders in the life insurance market are given. It is indicated that according to statistical data, as of January 1, 2024, 12 life insurance companies are registered and operating in Ukraine. There are life insurance companies provide services exclusively in the field of long-term life insurance, health and pension insurance. Currently, only 8 insurance companies are actively working. It was concluded that financial instruments such as securities in the form of bonds, bank deposits and investment (income) real estate are most popular among life insurance companies for investing.

Influence of social pension on well‐being and health of the rural elderly: the case of South Korea

This study examines whether a social pension for the elderly population affects the well‐being and health of older adults in rural areas and whether pensions are more effective in rural areas than in urban areas. Using data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing, we exploit a difference‐in‐difference specification that compares changes in well‐being and health in rural areas for those who are 65 or older relative to the younger population before and after a pension reform. We also consider a triple‐difference specification to investigate the rural–urban difference. The results reveal that the expansion of the social pension significantly improved cognitive function and alleviated depressive symptoms among the rural elderly, but it had little impact on well‐being or other health measures such as subjective health status. We also find that this impact has been more effective in rural than in urban areas. Our findings suggest that social pensions can be crucial in enhancing cognitive functioning and mental health for rural elderly individuals and emphasise the effectiveness of pensions for rural elderly populations.