Alternatives for Welfare Policy
Coping with Internationalisation and Demographic Change

Authoritative survey of key issues for welfare policy in age of globalization and ageing populations.

Torben M. Andersen (Edited by), Per Molander (Edited by)

9780521047197, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 3 December 2007

396 pages, 64 tables
23.4 x 15.5 x 2 cm, 0.546 kg

Demographic change and increasingly international markets are putting severe pressure on developed welfare states in the OECD countries. The contributors to this book assess the magnitude of these challenges and discuss in depth, and in concrete terms, what policy options are open to meet them. Looking at public service production, social insurance, tax policy and debt policy, they examine the main costs and benefits associated with an extensive welfare state and ask whether the same objectives can be reached with a welfare regime that is less costly. They also discuss whether the organization of the welfare state is capable of meeting future challenges facing a changing society. This rigorous analysis draws on empirical material from OECD countries with a focus on the Scandinavian countries.

List of contributors
Preface
1. Introduction Torben M. Andersen and Per Molander
2. International integration and the welfare state Torben M. Andersen
3. The changing age structure and the public sector Thomas Lindh
4. Emigration from the Scandinavian welfare states Peder J. Pedersen, Marianne Røed and Lena Schröder
5. Productivity and costs in public production of services Jørn Rattsø
6. Use of fees in the provision of public services in OECD countries Carl Emmerson and Howard Reed
7. Privatisation of social insurance with reference to Sweden Lars Söderström and Klas Rikner
8. Occupational welfare Ann-Charlotte Ståhlberg
9. Pathways to retirement and retirement incentives in Sweden Mårten Palme and Ingemar Svensson
10. Social insurance and redistribution Pierre Pestieau
11. Assessing the effect of introducing welfare accounts in Sweden Stefan Fölster, Robert Gidehag, Mike Orszag and Dennis J. Snower
12. Taxation in a global economy Bernd Huber and Erik Norrman
13. Taxation and education investment in the tertiary sector Fredrik Andersson and Kai A. Konrad
14. Debt strategies for Sweden and Europe Martin Flodén
15. Policy options for reforming the welfare state Torben M. Andersen and Per Molander
Index.

Subject Areas: Political economy [KCP], Economics [KC], Welfare & benefit systems [JKSB]