Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-06T11:55:00.139Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Early Retirement in Denmark

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 November 2008

Iver Hornemann Møler
Iver Hornemann Møler
Affiliation:
Danish National Institute of Social Research, 28, Borgergade, DK 1300, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The Danish Early Retirement Pension Scheme (ERPS) introduced in 1979 was intended to contribute to the reproduction of the social order and to the legitimation of the welfare state. The first objective was not achieved. Nevertheless ERPS reduced total unemployment by about 20% and thereby contributed to the positive image of the welfare state.

Survey data show that the poorer the working conditions the stronger the probability that the eligible take early retirement. High rates of unemployment in industries with physically and psychologically onerous work increase the probability of early retirement. Taken together with employers' wishes for as large as possible a labour reserve and their ambivalent attitude to the total withdrawal of marginal workers, these findings render the debate about voluntary versus compulsory withdrawal from the labour market at best insignificant and at worse misleading.

At the same time, ERPS has brought some unintended but quite considerable improvements to the lives of many recipients. These include better self-assessed health, increased contacts with family and friends and new leisure activities. Recently, however, there is evidence of an increase in economic deprivation among recipients, and early retirement pension levels have not kept pace with rises in industrial earnings or the cost of living.

Type
Research Article
Information
Ageing & Society , Volume 7 , Issue 4 , December 1987 , pp. 427 - 443
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1987

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

NOTES

1 Platz, M., Olsen, H. and Hansen, T.Efterløn og beskteftigelse. Socialforsknings-instituttet, publikation 122, København, 1983Google Scholar; and Olsen, H.På efterløn. Social-forskningsinstituttet, publikation 146, København, 1985.Google Scholar

2 OECD, Economic Outlook no. 22, Paris, 1977.Google Scholar

3 Berglin, H., ‘Older workers and the labour market in Sweden’. Paper presented at the XIII International Congress of Gerontology, New York, 1985.Google Scholar

4 Folketingets forhandlinger 1978 (Parliament debates 1978).

5 Betænkning om efterløn. Betænkning 835, København 1978. (Report on Early Retirement Pay, Copenhagen 1978).

6 Ibid.

7 Westergård, K.Flexibel pensionsalder - idé eller virkelighed. Nordisk Gerontologisk Tidsskrift, 4 (1982), 17–19.Google Scholar

8 Sode-Madsen, H.Krisen i 30'erne. Uddannelse 4 (1978), 288–97.Google Scholar

9 Møller, Hornemann I.Klassekamp og sociallovgivning. Socialistiske Økonomers Forlag, København, 1981.Google Scholar

10 Alber, I. ‘Die Entwicklung sozialer Sicherungssysteme im licht empirischer Analysen’, in Zacher, H. (ed.), Bedingungen für die Entstehung und Entwicklung von Social-versicherung. Duncker & Humbolt, Berlin, 1979.Google Scholar

11 As regards the Employment Supply Scheme as well as other job creation measures, the act states explicitly that these measures are inapplicable to persons aged 60 or more.

12 These persons have, somehow or other, been involved in the legislative work in connection with ERPS.

13 Hansen, Vejrup P.Arbejdskraftbevægelser og beskæftigelse. Socialforskningsinstituttets publikation 149, København 1985.Google Scholar

14 Smith, Richard M.The structured dependence of the elderly as a recent development: some sceptical historical thoughts. Ageing and Society, 4, 4 (1984), 409–428.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

15 Olsen, , op. cit.Google Scholar

16 Tracy, M.Retirement Age Practices in Ten Industrial Societies 1960–76. International Social Security Association, Geneva, 1979.Google Scholar

17 Berglin, , op. cit.Google Scholar

18 Walker, A.The social production of old age. Ageing and Society, 3 (1983), 387–395.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

19 Phillipson, Chris. Capitalism and the Construction of Old Age. The Macmillan Press Ltd, London, 1982.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

20 Møller, Hornemann I.‘Arbejderflertallet’ og 70'ernes socialreform. Socialistiske Økonomers Forlag, København, 1986.Google Scholar

21 Guillemard, A.-M.The social dynamics of early withdrawal from the labour force in France. Ageing and Society 5, 4 (1985), 381–412.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

22 Jacobsohn, D., Attitudes towards Work and Retirement in Three Firms, Ph.D. thesis, LSE. 1970.Google Scholar

23 Crawford, M.Retirement and role playing. Sociology, 6 (1972), 217–236.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

24 Kristensen, SØndergård T.Kvinders helbred og arbejde. Institut for Social Medicine, KØbenhavn, 1978.Google Scholar

25 Hansen, Vejrup P.Lønforskelle, lønpolitik og beskæftigelse i 1970'erne. Socialforskningsinstituttets publikation III, København, 1982.Google Scholar

26 Palmore, E. B.Consequences of retirement. Journal of Gerontology, 1 (1984), 109–127.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

27 Crona, G.Delpension - en väg til ökad valfrihed och ökad välfärd. Delegation for social forskning, Stockholm, 1981.Google Scholar

28 By focusing on the health development an allowance has been attempted for the general deterioration of health due to old age. It proved impossible, however, to take into account the above-mentioned selection problems (a bigger share, for example, transferring to ERP from unemployment in 1979 than later).

29 Sheldon, J. H., The Social Medicine of Old Age, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1948.Google Scholar

30 United Nations' General Assembly. Questions of the Elderly and the Aged. Note by the Secretary-General, 1971.Google Scholar

31 Council of Europe. Preparations for Retirement, Strasbourg, 1977.Google Scholar

32 For example Palmquist, H. ‘Erhvervsophöret’, in Fromholt, P. and Knud, Ramian (eds), Alderdom og alderdomsproblemer, København, 1975.Google Scholar

33 Minkler, M.Research on health, effects of retirement: an uncertain legacy, Journal of Health and Social behavior, 22 (1982) 117–130.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

34 Waerness, K. ‘Informal and formal care in old age? A feminist perspective on the new ideology of community care in Scandinavia today’. Paper presented at the XI World Congress of Sociology, New Delhi, 18–22 08, 1986.Google Scholar

35 Olsen, H. and Hansen, G.Ældres arbejdsophør Socialforskningsinstituttet, publikation 70. København, 1977.Google Scholar

36 Phillipson, , op. cit.Google Scholar

37 Munnichs, J. M. A. ‘Role-patterns among ageing and aged teachers and steelworkers in the Netherlands’, in Havighurst, J. et al. , (eds), Adjustment to Retirement, Van Gorcum & Co., Assen, 1970.Google Scholar

38 Crawford, , op. cit.Google Scholar

39 Bengtson, V. L. et al. ‘Occupational differences in retirement: patterns of role-activity and life-outlook among teachers and steelworkers’. In Havighurst, J. et al. , (ed), Adjustment to Retirement, Van Gorcum & Co., Assen, 1970.Google Scholar

40 Phillipson, . op. cit.Google Scholar