State and local retirement plans in the United States Public pension plans in the twentieth century Public sector pension plans on the eve of the Great Depression State and local pension plans during the Great Depression State and local pension plans and the evolution of Social Security : 1940 75 Pension plans for public school teachers Maturing state pension plans : 1975 2000 Maturing local pension plans : 1975 2000 Comparing trends in public pensions to those in the private sector Financial status of public sector retirement plans Public pensions in the twenty first century State and Local Retirement Plans in the United States explains how economic and political events have shaped the development of pension plans in the last century and it argues that changes in the structure and generosity of these plans will continue to shape policy and funding in the future. It also brings to bear a new rationale to the policies behind public sector pension plans. The authors use the history of how early public pension plans were established how they matured and how they have grown in generosity to analyse what changes may be expected in years to come. Unique in its scope this comprehensive history of the development of public sector pension plans in the United States during the twentieth century expands upon current ideas relating to the changing economic environment the passage and evolution of social security and the expansion of the public sector