Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/39837 
Year of Publication: 
2010
Series/Report no.: 
CESifo Working Paper No. 3156
Publisher: 
Center for Economic Studies and ifo Institute (CESifo), Munich
Abstract: 
Redistribution is an inevitable feature of collective pension schemes and economic experiments have revealed that most people have a preference for redistribution that is not merely inspired by self-interest. Interestingly, little is known on how these preferences interact with preferences for different pension schemes. In this paper we review the experimental evidence on preferences for redistribution and suggest some links to redistribution through pensions. For that purpose we distinguish between three types of situations. The first deals with distributional preferences behind a veil of ignorance. In the second type of situation, individuals make choices in front of the veil of ignorance and know their position. Finally, we discuss situations in which income is determined by interdependent rather than individual choices. In the closing parts of the paper we discuss whether and how these experimental results speak to the redistribution issues of pensions. For example, do they argue for or against mandatory participation? Should we have less redistribution and more actuarial fairness? How does this depend on the type of redistribution involved?
Subjects: 
redistribution
fairness
pension
insurance
experiment
JEL: 
C90
D01
D03
D63
D64
H55
Document Type: 
Working Paper
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