Welfare Reform on the Web (February 2002): Pensions - Overseas

GLOBALIZATION, SOCIAL WELFARE REFORM AND DEMOCRATIC IDENTITY IN RUSSIA AND OTHER POST-COMMUNIST COUNTRIES

A. Chandler

Global Social Policy, vol. 1, 2001, p. 310-337

Article provides a brief comparison of the politics of pension reform in Latvia and the Russian Federation. As Soviet successor states, both inherited similar pension systems from the Communist regime. These were comprehensive but too costly for the new market economies to sustain. In addition, pension reform proved politically unpopular in both countries. However Latvia succeeded in a relatively rapid and thorough pension reform because its government was committed and because the new system was seen as an asset in Latvia's quest to join the EU. On the other hand, reform in Russia was more half-hearted because the government saw few advantages from western models.