Framing of the social-democratic pension system
Public policy decisions such as modifying pension models requires an evaluation of
alternatives in order to make the most suitable choice. The most suitable choice is based on the
evaluation of different aspects, but also the underlying values of the individuals that it impacts. The
values of the public to which this decision is relevant shape the way a policy must be created and
presented. The current youngsters, generation z, have been born and raised in a digital landscape that
allows communication to be easier and quicker than ever. There has been a rising dominance of media
logic in political communication, often referred to as mediatization (Strömbäck, 2008). This includes
an increase in rapid communication and spread of negatively connotated information. Public policies
must be framed in a way such that sense-making, naming and storytelling are prioritized to ensure that
the attractiveness and legitimacy of the pension system is apparent for all stakeholders (Hulst, Yanow,
2016). Pension modifications in a Pareto efficient economy are perceived as a zero-sum game,
meaning that the potential gain of one group of people is balanced by an offset of another group. In
both cases, policy-relevant actors will construct their own image of the policy and act according to
their personal perception. In addition, prior knowledge of the subject (such as previous reforms in
which one party was worse off than another) and underlying values complement each other to guide
emergent actions, such as promoting negative aspects of a social democratic (SD) system (Gray
1996). In order to maintain a favorable pension system for the younger generation, it must be
perceived as logical and sustainable. Higher tax-rates are necessary to form the ‘security–net’ that is
present in SD pension plan: monetary support provided by the government in case of impairment
(Greve, Kvist, 2011). Emphasis must be placed on characteristics of this system that are valued by the
young generation, who will face rising taxes. Common elements include risk adversity and basic
