Need, citizenship or merit: Public opinion on pension policy in Australia, Finland and Poland

Much of the sociological debate on the welfare state has revolved around different social policy models and their antecedents. As a rule, the models, their founding figures and driving forces have been based on historical accounts of the political making of the welfare state: Who favoured selectivism, who instituted universalism, and who was the most eager adherent to income-graduated benefits. The debate on the welfare state models is not only of historical interest, but also has important ramifications for present attempts to resolve the fiscal problems and new challenges that most welfare states are facing. Different social policy models derived from international comparisons may serve as a fruitful base-line to which new alternatives in national policy making can be contrasted.