Pension politics in France: Patterns of co-operation and conflict in two recent reforms

West European Politics

Volumn 20, Issue 4, 1997, Pages 111-124

  Bonoli, Giuliano ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF LAUSANNE   (Switzerland)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 0001346357     PISSN: 01402382     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1080/01402389708425220     Document Type: Article

References (26)

1. For an account of the protest movement which followed the presentation of the Juppé plan to the French parliament, see: 'Du plan Juppé au sommet social', Le Monde, 21 Dec. 1995, special issue.
2. A pay-as-you-go pension scheme is one in which current receipts are used to finance current expenditure. In contrast, in a funded scheme, current receipts are invested and used to finance the retirement of current contributors. In France, most pension provision works on a pay-as-you-go basis.
3. K. Rake, 'Ageing and Inequality: How Older Women and Men Fare in Britain, France and Germany', paper presented at the Social Policy Association 30th Annual Conference, Sheffield Hallam University, 16-18 July 1996.
4. OECD, 'Effect of Ageing Populations on Government Budgets', Economic Outlook 57 (1995) pp.33-42.
5. For a discussion of the political implications of pension policy, see: P. Pierson, 'The Politics of Pension Reform', in K. Banting and R. Boadway (eds.) Reform of Retirement Income Policy. International and Canadian Perspectives (Kingston: School of Policy Studies. Queen's U. 1996)
6. W. Schmähl, 'The 1992 Reform of Public Pensions in Germany: Main Elements and Some Effects', Journal of European Social Policy 3/1 (1993) pp.39-52.
7. J. Stephens, 'The Scandinavian Welfare States: Achievements, Crisis and Prospects', in Gosta Esping-Andersen (ed.) Welfare States in Transition. National Adaptations in Global Economies (London: Sage 1996).
8. R. Artoni and A. Zanardi. The Evolution of the Italian Pension System, paper presented at the conference 'Comparing Social Welfare Systems in Southern Europe', European University Institute, Florence, 22-24 Feb. 1996.
9. J. Myles and J. Quadagno, 'Recent Trends in Public Pension Reform: A Comparative View', in Banting and Boadway (note 5).
10. P. Pierson, Dismantling the Welfare State? Reagan, Thatcher and the Politics of Retrenchment (Cambridge: CUP 1994).
11. M. Duverger, 'A New Political System Model: Semi-presidential Government', European Journal of Political Research 8/2 (1980) pp.165-87.
12. French Government, Livre Blanc sur les Retraites (Paris: La documentation Française 1991).
13. C. Bigaut, 'Les cohabitations institutionnelles de 1986-1988 et 1993-1995', Regards sur l'Actualité 211 (May 1995) pp.3-30, M. Duverger, La cohabitation des Français (Paris: Presses Universitaires de France 1987).
14. C. Bigaut, 'Les cohabitations institutionnelles de 1986-1988 et 1993-1995', Regards sur l'Actualité 211 (May 1995) pp.3-30, M. Duverger, La cohabitation des Français (Paris: Presses Universitaires de France 1987).
15. Bigaut (note 13) p.9.
16. B. Badie and P. Birnbaum The Sociology of the State (U. of Chicago Press 1983); F.L. Wilson, Interest Group Politics in France (Cambridge: CUP 1987).
17. B. Badie and P. Birnbaum The Sociology of the State (U. of Chicago Press 1983); F.L. Wilson, Interest Group Politics in France (Cambridge: CUP 1987).
18. In France, the labour movement is divided along ideological lines. There are five major national federations of trade unions, which operate independently from each other. The divisions reflect the political spectrum. Starting from the left, the Confédération Générale du Travail (CGT) is of Communist inspiration. Force Ouvrière (FO) originated from a division within the CGT in 1947 and constitutes its non-Communist component (it is sometimes referred to as CGT-FO). Of Socialist inspiration is the Confédération Française Démocratique des Travailleurs (CUDT), which in recent years has been much more co-operative with the government than its counterparts. Finally the Confédération Française des Travailleurs Chrétiens (CFTC) is a federation of Catholic unions. In addition, there is a federation representing managers (CFF-CGC Confédération Française de l'Encadrement - Confédération Générale des Cadres). 17. Interview, ministry of social affairs, 20 Dec. 1996.
19. G. Bonoli, V. George and P. Taylor-Gooby, 'Politics against Convergence? Current Trends in European Social Policy', Swiss Political Science Review 2/3 (1996) pp.1-17.
20. G. Bonoli and B. Palier, 'Reclaiming Welfare: The Politics of French Social Protection Reform', in M. Rhodes (ed.) Southern European Welfare States: Between Crisis and Reform (London: Frank Cass 1997).
21. Interview, ministry of social affairs, 19 Dec. 1996.
22. Caisse Nationale d'assurance vieillesse, internal memo, 18 May 1993.
23. Interview FO, 20 Dec. 1996.
24. Marc Blondel, quoted in Le Monde, 17 Nov. 1995, p.12.
25. See, for example, H.-P. Kriesi, Les Democraties Occidentales (Paris: Economica 1994).
26. P. Schmitler , 'Reflections on Where the Theory of Neo-Corporatism Has Gone and Where the Praxis of Neo-Corporatism May Be Going', in G. Lembruch and P. Schmmer (eds.) Patterns of Corporatist Intermediation (London: Sage 1982) p.264.