A cross-national comparison of population age structure and of retirement benefits programs of the social security systems in eight developed countries is made to examine the different policy responses countries have made to the aging of their populations. The countries included are Austria, Canada, France, West Germany, Japan, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States. For these countries comparisons are made of 1970 and 1980 measures of population composition, financial support, and benefit levels, and the interactions among the measures over the decade.
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