Are social security programs progressive?

Artikel

Social security programs generally seek to provide insurance and to reduce poverty and inequality. Providing insurance requires little redistribution. But reducing inequality and alleviating poverty do require redistribution. To reduce inequality, programs must redistribute income, but redistributing income is not the same as reducing inequality. While some programs redistribute large amounts of income without noticeably reducing inequality, others reduce inequality with less redistribution and fewer labor market distortions. A non-contributory tier, which provides benefits without requiring contributions, is a key component for reducing inequality.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Journal: IZA World of Labor ; ISSN: 2054-9571 ; Year: 2015 ; Bonn: Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Social Security and Public Pensions ; Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-labor Market Discrimination ; Retirement; Retirement Policies
• Subject: social security ; inequality ; redistribution

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Forteza, Alvaro
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)
• (where): Bonn
• (when): 2015

Further information

• DOI: doi:10.15185/izawol.172
• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/125403
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:45 AM CET