Unfunded Public Pension Systems in the Presence of Perfect Household Mobility

In this paper we investigate the effects of unfunded public pension schemes in a small open economy with land where young households are perfectly mobile. The burden of the intergenerational transfer system is entirely borne by members of the old generation. The incidence, however, varies with the policy pursued by the government. If it levies a constant contribution, the transfer recipients as well as the landowners carry the burden. In the case of a constant pension payment the whole loss is shifted to the owners of the immobile factor land. Furthermore, this policy may be inapplicable in the long run.