World developments and trends in social security.

A survey of developments in the social security systems of more than 125 countries from 1971 to 1975 found that most programs are undergoing significant growth. This pattern is reflected primarily by the adoption of additional programs and new provisions designed to raise benefit levels, provide flexibility in retirement practices, expand coverage, and cope with demographic changes, inflationary trends, and growing costs. The new measures tend to extend the role of social security programs through providing a greater proportion of the population with more comprehensive protection and setting higher benefit rates to replace income lost because of old age, disability, sickness, work injury, unemployment, or death.