In the context of increasing relationship between labor market factors of postindustrial society and inequality and poverty of the retired, this study analyzed the influence of advantage/disadvantage and characteristics cumulated during working life a...
In the context of increasing relationship between labor market factors of postindustrial society and inequality and poverty of the retired, this study analyzed the influence of advantage/disadvantage and characteristics cumulated during working life affecting on the economic well-being of households of the retired generation. Through decomposition of inequality and poverty indicator of the retired generation, this study examined the income and asset distribution condition and the determining factors of inequality. The effect of working life factors affecting on the size of income(or asset) and poverty status of the retired generation was also examined. The results of this study are as follows.
First, the unequal distribution of income and asset of the retired generation was remarkable. The 5th quintile over 1st quintile of the current income of retired generation was 12.3 times which was over 2 times of that of working generations(5.1times) and middle older generations(6.4times). And the 5th quintile over 1st quintile of the net asset was 73.0 times which was also 2 times over of that of the working generations(25.2times) and the middle older generations(25.6times). Both the inequality level of income(or asset) and the relative poverty rate of the retired generation were highest. The income inequality has been expanding, as we can see from the fact that Gini coefficient of the retired generation is increasing while those of working generations and middle older generations have changed little. While the relative poverty rate of the working generation and the middle older generation has been decreasing, that of the retired generation has been increasing.
Second, the analysis of inequality contribution of sources through Gini coefficient decomposition of the whole households showed that inequality contribution of labor income and business income was high and, in the aspect of asset, inequality contribution of the real estate was highest. The inequality among the retired generation has been increased and, especially, the group that suffered inequality most among the retired generation was the households out of labor market. The asset inequality level of the working households who were retired and participating in labor market was highest and the size of asset was lowest, which suggests that this kind of work might work to earn a living from the insufficiency of asset cumulated during working life.
Third, through event sequence analysis and cluster analysis, the working life of the retired generation were classified into 10 employment types and 8 job types. There were clear difference between employment type and job types of men and those of women, the economic well-being level of households that had maintained stable employment or higher status was improving.
Lastly, the economic factors of individual and households were those determining household's income and asset size and the working life factor was the variable determining the level of household's economic well-being. When the individual and household's economic factors were controlled, the more stable employment type and the higher occupational status the retired households had, the lower was the probability of their being in poverty. The social insurance income could expand the size of income and asset of households and could reduce the probability of being in poverty, which has much implication for the economic well-being of the retired generation.
On the basis of the results, some implications for the labor market policy and for the income maintenance policy were presented. In the aspect of labor market policy, the policy to rear elderly-friendly social service jobs should be added. It can be said from the results that recognizing the gender difference of cumulated working life and considering the gender perspective in using the elderly labor force are important. Improving employment policy for the present working generation is also needed, in which the realistic policies for women to maintain the participation in labor market such as maternity protection, flexible working arrangement, and the child allowance should be needed. The job training system for the working generation to enable the upwards mobility should be prepared too. Through reduction of social insurance for the irregular workers, the improvement of unemployment benefit, and the expansion of retirement pension to non-wage labor, the institutional strategies like social insurance should be improved to function as income support for the unemployment or retirement.
In the aspect of income maintenance policies, the introduction of 'social pension' was suggested. Even though the effect of social insurance on the economic well-being level of the retired generation is great, the difference in working life makes the problem of the relevance and blind spot for social insurance benefit. Accordingly, the function of income maintenance policy should be improved by raising the basic pension. The housing and medical service policies for the elderly should be improved as well. Especially, the expansion of public rental houses for the poor elderly and making minimum standard of residence are urgent, and the policies to relieve the support burden for the elderly support family such as the reduction of medical fee and the expansion of elderly care services should be considered.