THE SOCIAL SECURITY AND ARRANGEMENTS OF THE PENSION REFORM IN POLAND

The paper aims at featuring the pension reform of 1999 apart of common beliefs and common wisdom. The analysis guided by the fundamental social problems in Poland leads to a rather pessimistic conclusion. The arrangements of the pension reform introduced after 1998 do not contribute to social security neither protect all members of the system against poverty. The World Bank-recommended arrangement, popularly called 'the second pillar', is of no help to any social question. Instead, providing funds to the financial sector seems to be a priority of the reform. Reorganization of the pension system in Poland has been inspired by development of banking and securities trading considered as a stimulus to economic growth. Then the basic motive was of economic rather than of social nature.