Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book draws on the country-specific experiences to proceed to a true comparative analysis. It analyses inequality and poverty against the backdrop of the transformational recession of the early 1990s and the severe financial crisis 1996/97. During the latter, social protection expenditure shares in GDP fell considerably, in particular pension expenditures. The book looks at the changes in the socioeconomic household structure along the income ladder. It examines the development in Slovenia. It analyses the development in Hungary which was characterized by an early transition recession between 1988 and 1993 after which growth first resumed and then accelerated since 1997. Many working-age people went into inactivity through the pathway of early retirement or disability pensions - their growth largely exceeded that of regular old-age pensions. In Hungary, over half of all households receive some form of pension income.