Sharing high growth across generations : pensions and demographic transition in China
Song, ZhengUniversity of Chicago Booth, Chicago, Illinois, United States
Storesletten, KjetilFederal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Wang, YikaiDepartment of Economics, University of Zurich, Switzerland
Zilibotti, FabrizioCenter for Economic and Political Research on Aging (CEPRA), Facoltà di scienze economiche, Università della Svizzera italiana, Svizzera
English
Intergenerational inequality and old-age poverty are salient isuues in contemporary China. China's aging population threatens the fiscal sustainability of its pension system, a key vehicle for intergenerational redistribution. We analyze the positive and normative effects of alternative pension reforms, using a dynamic general equilibrium model that incorporates population dynamics and productivity growth. Although a reform is necessary, delaying its implementation implies large welfare gains for the (poorer) current generations, imposing only small costs on (richer) future generations. In contrast, a fully funded reform harms current generations, with small gains to future generations. High wage growth is key for these results.