Indicators of Generational Fairness and Sustainability of Social Transfer Systems

01.10.2011 - 29.02.2012
Research funding project
The reallocation of economic resources over age, i.e. over time as well as over generations, plays a fundamental role in the life cycle of an individual and in the organization of a society. Besides asset accumulation, the most important reallocation mechanisms are intra-familial as well as public transfers. Population ageing and the corresponding change in the ratio of transfer-receivers to –payers puts some of these transfer systems under high pressure, e.g. the pension, health and long-term-care system. Based on data of the National Transfer Accounts (NTA) system the aim of the project is to define measures for generational equity and sustainability of social transfer systems under a changing age-structure of the population. National Transfer Accounts constitute a method consistent with the System of National Accounts and measure the reallocation of resources over age. The data-set includes age-profiles of consumption, income and asset endowment as well as age-profiles of the in- and outflows of resources for various transfer systems. We distinguish between public and private transfers, whether they are cash or in-kind and also by the purpose of the transfer (education, old age support…). For the years 2000 and 2005 National Transfer Accounts for Austria are compiled within an international project financed by the ESF and the FWF. For the year 1995 such a data-set is in progress. Since NTA data measure the benefits and contributions of each age-group to a certain transfer-system, these data are predestined to study the impact of a change in the age-structure on the transfer-systems. We adapt existing methods and develop new indicators to study the current and future benefits and burdens for each age-group. In this way we obtain measures for the generational equity and sustainability of the transfer systems. The availability of such data for several years allows for a better understanding of the changes of these transfer-systems over time. Comparisons with other countries enable a better understanding of the peculiarities of the Austrian reallocation system. In addition to a detailed description and analysis of the Austrian reallocation system, a central focus of the project will be a comparison with Sweden, a country that possesses a highly developed social security system which is in many fields regarded as a forerunner model.

People

Project leader

Project personnel

Institute

Grant funds

  • Vereine, Stiftungen, Preise Type of funder Vereine, Stiftungen, Preise Specific program Technische Universität Wien

Research focus

  • Mathematical Methods in Economics: 100%

Keywords

GermanEnglish
Nationale Transfer KontenNational Transfer Accounts
Intergenerations-TransferIntergenerational Transfers
BevölkerungsalterungPopulation Ageing
Intergenerations-GerechtigkeitGenerational Fairness

Publications