Pension policy reforms in Germany

Abstract

"This paper states that German pension policies have taken a new path. After describing the major characteristics of the German post-war pension system, the paper will analyse the major reforms since 1989 and the way they changed and challenged the main characteristics of the pension system. As a next step, the paper will revise the reforms in several different aspects. Firstly it will argue that the way of decision-making changed: the role of the social partners and of inter-party consensus-building diminished; the actors' constellation became more pluralistic. Secondly, policy change will be discussed in light of Peter Hall's concept, concluding that a policy paradigm change took place - incrementally. Thirdly, against the background of Esping-Andersen's welfare typologies, it will argue that there is an initial shift (especially in ideas) from a conservative pension model towards a liberal one." (author's abstract)