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JaroslavVostatek
servative,andsocial-democraticpensiondesign,characterizeneoliberalpension
policy,and–inthiscontext–illustratethefactualsignificanceofagingpopulation
aswellasotherparametersaffectingpensionschemesinOECD/EUcountries.
2.LIBERALDESIGN
Liberalpolicyideologicallyreliesonthefundamentalimportanceofthefree-
domofindividuals,whichis–fromtheeconomicpointofview–ensuredbythe
marketeconomy.Theidealliberalpensionschemeisafullyvoluntaryprivatese-
curity,basedonparticularneedsandinterestsofindividuals.Therefore,theclassic
liberalpensionpolicyisrelativelysimple–itisnotassociatedwithpublicold-age
pensions.Inexceptionalcaseswhenthisapproach“fails”,socialassistanceservices
andpaymentsareavailable,providedirrespectivelyofage.Theclassicliberalpen-
sionmodeldoesnotcompriseanyspecialpublicold-agesecuritybenefit.Thelib-
eralpensionpolicyalsoabsolutelyrulesoutanydirectorindirectgovernmentsub-
sidies–i.e.evensubsidiesoffinancialproducts(supplementarypensioninsurance,
buildingsavings,mortgageloans,etc.).Theclassicliberalpensionpolicyiscur-
rentlynotappliedinpracticeinanyOECD/EUcountry,althoughitisnotaltogeth-
erabsurd–everyoldpersoninneedistakencareof,thoughsolelyintheformof
generalsocialassistance.Inthiscontext,eldersdonotgetanypreferentialtreat-
mentcomparedtoothersocialgroups.
Modernliberalsapprovenotonlysocialassistanceforallpeopleinneed,butal-
sopublicpensionscalculatedinoneofthefollowingtwomanners:flat-ratepen-
sionsandmeans-testedpensions.Means-testedold-agepensionswereintroducedat
theturnofthe19thand20thcenturiesinDenmark(1891),NewZealand(1898),
Australia,GreatBritainandIreland(1908),andlaterinotherAnglo-Saxonand
Scandinaviancountries.TheretirementageinGreatBritainandIrelandwas70
years,comparedtoonly65yearsinAustralia.Inprinciple,themodel,initspure
form,hasnotremainedtothisdayinanyOECDcountries.Withregardtothe
aforementionedcountries,means-testedpensionsonlyexistinAustraliaandIre-
land.
Themeans-testedpensionsinAustralia,AgePensions,arecurrentlyprovided
fromtheageof65.Startingfrom2017,theretirementagewillincreasebysix
monthseveryyearandahalf,to67years.Inadditiontothepension(upto$751.50
perfortnight),peoplemayalsoreceiveapensionsupplement(upto$61.70)and
acleanenergysupplement(upto$13.70),i.e.currentlytotallingupto$827.10
perfortnightforsinglepensioners.Theamountofthepensiondependsonincome
andassetsofthesenior.Forexample,incomeofasinglepensionerofupto$156
isnottakenintoaccount,whereasthetotalmeans-testedpension,withsupple-
