The article argues that a mechanism-based approach is a promising way for comparative analyses of social policy developments, as it allows to focus on specific sequences within broader processes, and to draw inspiration from elements of different theoretical approaches to explain these sequences. The article analyses the developments of the social insurance pension system in Vietnam and the national provident fund in Sri Lanka, which present two variants of a contribution-based pension system. Despite different starting points and institutional and economic backgrounds, the article reveals that both countries are characterised by maintenance and expansion of their pension systems on the policy level, and limitations in expanding effective coverage on the implementation level. We identify three causal mechanisms that are crucial for understanding these developments: The policy-areas-interdependence mechanism explains how, in an integrated political system, policies are being maintained despite dysfunctions, because they have important stabilizing functions for other policy areas. The evasion mechanism explains how national policy actors on the surface follow International Organisations' recommendations and support further cooperation, while conducting reforms in line with national political considerations. The limited-compliance mechanism explains how reforms that are being adopted on the policy level are not being implemented.

中文翻译：

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基于机制的越南和斯里兰卡国家养老金制度比较方法

本文认为，基于机制的方法是对社会政策发展进行比较分析的一种有前途的方法，因为它允许关注更广泛过程中的特定序列，并从不同理论方法的元素中汲取灵感来解释这些序列。本文分析了越南社会保险养老金制度和斯里兰卡国家公积金制度的发展，它们提出了两种基于缴费的养老金制度。尽管出发点、制度和经济背景不同，但文章揭示了两国养老金制度在政策层面维持和扩大的特点，而在实施层面扩大有效覆盖面存在局限性。我们确定了三个对理解这些发展至关重要的因果机制： 政策领域相互依存机制解释了在一个综合政治体系中，政策如何在出现功能障碍的情况下得以维持，因为它们对其他政策领域具有重要的稳定功能。规避机制解释了表面上的国家政策参与者如何遵循国际组织的建议并支持进一步合作，同时根据国家政治考虑进行改革。有限合规机制解释了在政策层面采取的改革如何没有得到落实。因为它们对其他政策领域具有重要的稳定作用。规避机制解释了表面上的国家政策参与者如何遵循国际组织的建议并支持进一步合作，同时根据国家政治考虑进行改革。有限合规机制解释了在政策层面采取的改革如何没有得到落实。因为它们对其他政策领域具有重要的稳定作用。规避机制解释了表面上的国家政策参与者如何遵循国际组织的建议并支持进一步合作，同时根据国家政治考虑进行改革。有限合规机制解释了在政策层面采取的改革如何没有得到落实。