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A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PROGRAMS IN
ENGLAND, SWEDEN, AND THE COMMON MARKET
COUNTRIES, TOGETHER WITH A
DESCRIPTION OF THE U.S.
SYSTEM

51-945

MATERIALS PREPARED FOR THE

JOINT ECONOMIC COMMITTEE
CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES

Printed for the use of the Joint Economic Committee

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON: 1965

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office
Washington, D.C., 20402 - Price 40 cents

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LETTERS OF TRANSMITTAL

To Members of the Joint Economic Committee:

SEPTEMBER 17, 1965.

Transmitted herewith for the use of the members of the committee and other Members of Congress is Study Paper No. 7, entitled "European Social Security Systems" which contains a comparative analysis of the social security program in effect in England, Sweden, and the six Common Market countries together with a separate description of the U.S. social insurance program as amended by the 1965 legislation. This study is one of a series which the committee has prepared as aids to an increased understanding of economic policies and institutions in the various industrial countries. The cooperation of those contributing to the compilation of these materials is greatly appreciated. The views expressed in these materials are those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the views of the committee or individual members thereof.

WRIGHT PATMAN, Chairman.

SEPTEMBER 15, 1965.

Hon. WRIGHT PATMAN,

Chairman, Joint Economic Committee,
U.S. Congress, Washington, D.C.

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Transmitted herewith is a comparison of the social security programs in eight major European nations. These are the United Kingdom, Sweden, and the six Common Market countries: France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Also included is a separate chapter on the Social Security System in the United States, containing descriptions of the new medicare program and the other 1965 changes. This is intended to provide a general comparison of the newly expanded U.S. system and the major European ones.

This study is another of the periodic comparisons which the Committee has done on important aspects of national economies. In 1963, the "Comparative Features of Central Banks in Selected Foreign Countries" was published, and in 1964 the committee published "A Description and Analysis of Certain European Capital Markets." These and the other similar committee studies have proven very useful to Members of the Congress and to the many students interested in the subject. In view of the very great interest in social welfare and antipoverty programs, it was deemed desirable to prepare and publish this social security study.

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In doing the study, we have relied heavily on publications of the European Economic Community itself and have benefited from the aid of members of the Division of Research and Statistics of the Social Security Administration, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare in particular, Mrs. Ida C. Merriam, Director of the Division; Mr. Daniel S. Gerig, Acting Chief of the International Social Security Branch; and Mr. William Yoffee and Mr. Werner Hasenberg, members of the staff of the International Branch. Not only did they review material submitted to them, but they contributed by preparing the tabular material and some of the narrative contained herein.

Sincerely yours,

JAMES W. KNOWLES,
Executive Director.

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