March 21, 2016
At a time when the income inequality is growing ever larger in most wealthy countries the market for work that highlights inequality between generations is growing rapidly. After all, if young people are spending their time yelling about their parents’ and grandparents’ pensions they won’t have any time to get mad about all the money the one percent are taking.
The Wall Street Journal did its part today with a piece telling readers that “older people do better than those of working age.” While there is some truth to the story (more in Europe than in the United States), it is primarily because European governments have decided to keep tens of millions of people from working through austerity policies.
At a time when near zero inflation and record low interest rates show that the countries of the regions are suffering from a severe lack of demand the European Commission is pushing countries to cut deficits in order to lower demand still further. Complaining that older people are doing better than the workers who are either unemployed or forced to work in low wage jobs as a result of the weak labor market is like giving someone a severe beating and then noting the better health enjoyed by retirees than the beating victim. It’s undoubtedly true, but what exactly is the point?
The piece also suffers from serious lapse in economic reasoning. After touting the relatively high living standards of retirees, it tells readers:
“Younger workers are grappling with flat or falling pay, decreased job security and less-affordable housing, sapping the spending power that helps fuel the economy.”
If the problem in the economy is a lack of spending power (it is), then the relatively high pensions of retirees is helping. After all, the economy doesn’t care whether a euro is spent by a young person or a retiree, it creates the same amount of demand.
Apparently this piece can’t decide why retirees’ pensions are bad for the economy, it just wants to convince readers that they are evil.
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