Effect Matthew and age: the paradox of pensions
It was Bismarck who in the 19th century created the current model of pension system based on intergenerational solidarity. The equation is very simple, as the economic situation of young people in employment is better than that of the elderly, the pensions of the elderly will be paid with their contributions.
Regardless of the age pyramid or the effects of life expectancy, which are not secondary, today we can highlight in this model symptoms of fatigue, even more so when the retirement age and the differences between generations of working age are greater than ever. Today’s retirees are, in general, those who have had the highest level of protection and have had the opportunity to pay for long years – non-contributory retirement and widows’ pensions, of course, are something else. The result is that the amount of these pensions is high for many older people. On the other side of the pyramid is the young population that suffers from the precariousness of work and often receives low wages. The crisis of recent years has only exacerbated this situation, older people have had a higher level of protection and those who have suffered the most from the crisis have been working and in a precarious situation.
In this context, the Bismarck model draws contradictory conclusions: young people with low wages and long-term problems are those who pay high pensions to today’s pensioners. An absolutely paradoxical situation. We are clearly faced with the Matthew effect that is used on many occasions in social policies, following the words of that apostle in the Bible: “You will be given whatever you have and you will be taken away as little as you have.”
I will not say that the number of pensions needs to be reduced, but I believe that this example should open up time for reflection in the case of some social policies. Current age is not always linked to economic vulnerability, sometimes yes, but often not.
General age-related discounts on public transport may therefore not be so fair. I know that I can risk myself, but this reality serves us for other programmes… The Imserso trip, for example, does not make much sense for a person who receives a pension of EUR 1,700 to travel cheaper than cheap and for families who are poor workers not to know what the beach is. I know that this debate has other vertices and that what has been said here is too simple, but I think it is a good thing that the debate comes out.
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