The framework of Old Age Income Security in Taiwan was completed, though remaining fragmented, with implementation of National Pension Act since October, 2008. All citizens are covered but unequally along side with several separated occupational and allowance schemes, namely Act of Insurance for Military Personnel, Government Employee and School Staff Insurance (GESSI), Labor Insurance and New Labor Pension System, as well as Old-Age Farmers Welfare Allowance Program stood alone as non-contributory one. Social elements of institutional logic, such as insurance, assistance and allowance, are unevenly conflated and confused together after a long contested journey of political process. Rather than endorsed with advocates of 'universal integration insurance program' and their 'policy failure' criticisms, this article intends to curb mainstream argument for contributory insurance system and proposes a new division of citizen responsibilities as well as governance role of the state to build up a multi-layered old age income security for all.

Full paper: Chih-Lung Huang_2010.pdf