David Kingman investigates whether the Arab Spring has really been a battle between older generations and the young.
Quote 20
“After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.” Corinthians 12, verse 14b
Inflation and its intergenerational impact
Angus Hanton looks at the pros and cons of rising inflation, and its effects on interest rates Inflation is now running at about 5% pa, with interest rates standing at below 1%. The result is that, when you take account of inflation, real interest rates are negative, so that savers are seeing their savings reduced… Read more »
Jilted Generation: a student’s view
Sam Desborough explains why he was gripped by Jilted Generation, and why he thinks it should be required reading for fellow students The blurb for Jilted Generation describes it as a work of ‘irresistible polemical energy’ and this proves to be a most apt summary of Ed Howker and Shiv Malik’s writing.
Intergenerational issues in Japan
David Kingman describes the fallout from a swelling elderly population Japan is the world’s fastest ageing country, making it a good case-study for the type of intergenerational issues that could emerge in Britain as our own population gets older.
Does the increase in pension contributions for government workers matter intergenerationally?
Angus Hanton looks at the proposals for meeting the gaping liabilities in public-service pensions In the UK we are saving too little, according to the experts such as Martin Weale of the Bank of England. This ties up with personal observations: people expect to live longer, they expect to spend more, and they retire at… Read more »
Quote 19
“Perhaps most ridiculous of all is the suggestion that we ‘keep’ our radioactive garbage for the use of our descendants. This ‘solution’, I think, requires an immediate poll of the next 20,000 generations.” David R Brower
Life Expectancy and Intergenerational Justice
David Kingman argues that no-one should be blamed for the fact we’re all living longer, but society has got to prepare for it On Wednesday 8 June the Guardian printed an interactive map showing how life expectancy varies across Britain.
Large scale tax avoidance in the housing market
Angus Hanton shows how current tax loopholes have intergenerational consequences People disagree on how housing should be taxed. Some people would like to see higher annual holding taxes, whether this is called Council Tax, Land Value Tax or just Property Tax, while others want to see the introduction of Capital Gains Tax on residential house… Read more »
Will future generations eat fish?
Antony Mason sees the EU fisheries policy as a classic intergenerational issue At the end of last month the TV chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall took his “Fish Fight” campaign to Brussels, as the first stage of rolling it out across the EU.