EN
The paper aims at featuring the pension reform of 1999 apart of common beliefs and common wisdom. The analysis guided by the fundamental social problems in Poland leads to a rather pessimistic conclusion. The arrangements of the pension reform introduced after 1998 do not contribute to social security neither protect all members of the system against poverty. The World Bank-recommended arrangement, popularly called 'the second pillar', is of no help to any social question. Instead, providing funds to the financial sector seems to be a priority of the reform. Reorganization of the pension system in Poland has been inspired by development of banking and securities trading considered as a stimulus to economic growth. Then the basic motive was of economic rather than of social nature.