MANIFESTO NFI 2007 MANIFESTO FOR A NEW EUROPE - ΜΑΝΙΦΕΣΤΟ ΓΙ | Page 10

Manifesto for a New Europe
OUR GOAL
A sustainable Europe is conditional on a new inter-generational
contract, under which the resources and chances of future gen-
erations are not gambled away and the dignity of old people
is respected and acknowledged. Especially the youngest generation is increasingly threat-
ened by poverty: In western societies, children belong to the
population groups, that are hardest hit by material poverty. This
implies that the development and education of the children con-
cerned is seriously impaired, but it also implies immeasurable
losses as regards the future of societies. Political decisions on
the future of societies as well as on the future of the younger
generation continue to be taken primarily by the older genera-
tion of people who are relatively well provided for. Decisions
on long-term perspectives are made without giving a say to
the groups affected. This is doubtlessly one of the reasons why
these decisions lack a sustainable orientation.
WE KNOW
Demographic change in western capitalist societies, referred
to as the ‘ageing’ of societies, is cited as an argument in fa-
vour of dismantling welfare-state provision for health care
and retirement. What is hidden behind this argument is a
monetary-fiscal policy bound to result in social spending cuts
which increasingly make appropriate old-age pension provi-
sion a matter of private saving. In view of the flexibilisation of
labour markets, the practice of tying pension entitlements to
the entire working life span has turned out to be highly prob-
lematic, since the increase in part-time jobs, precarious jobs or
joblessness implies substantially lower benefits. In other words,
young people and people who have (not yet) entered the la-
bour market will be grossly disadvantaged compared with the
current retiree cohorts.
Generally speaking, the budget cuts widely applied by
western governments tend to lower welfare standards by
limiting the options of early retirement, by raising retirement
age or by freezing retirement pay. There is an overall trend
towards rehabilitating state pension systems by extending
working life. Arguments cited in favour of this policy are the
increasing life expectancy and the widening gap between
those paying contributions and those drawing benefits. This
is where the debate on retirement pay converges with the
pronatalist discourse, which accentuates the virtue of moth-
erhood at the expense of female self-determination. To this
comes that the xenophobia spreading in western societies
prevents a financial solution to the retirement-pay problem
by opening the borders to migrants from poorer countries
that are looking for work.
Instead, state subsidies are used to boost private retirement
saving, the so-called ‘third pillar’ of old-age provision (besides
state and corporate pensions). The inevitable outcome is des-
olidarisation over the problems of ageing, and eventually the
termination of the ‘inter-generational contract’, with the ef-
fect that financially secure twilight years become a matter of
personal responsibility. Privatisation of old-age provision ap-
pears especially risky, when pension funds become the object
of financial speculation. The deposits are invested in shares,
government or corporate bonds or in real estate and the funds
are governed by the quest for short-term returns and by the
logic of ‘attractive diversification of shareholder risk’. After the
year 2000, plummeting share prices caused millions of people
worldwide to lose their retirement savings. As a consequence,
they were forced to retire later than planned or to take on ‘mi-
nor jobs’ in their old age in order to make ends meet. WE DEMAND
Solidarity in Europe is, inter alia, conditional on the old and the
young supporting each other. Intrafamilial transfers by parents –
many of whom are already retired – contribute substantially
to the prosperity of their progeny who may be working or still
training. In many cases the savings of older family members help
the younger generation cope with emergencies. On the other
hand, older people are mainly taken care of by family members –
women being distinguished by high social competence.
In the face of the ongoing trend towards individualisation,
states are urgently called upon to support care by family mem-
bers, but also to upgrade collective systems of elder care that
permit people to grow old in dignity.
An effective inter-generational contract has to protect peo-
ple from poverty in old age. With this in mind, the ageing of
western societies must not be taken as a pretext for cutting
retirement benefits. On the contrary – by stepping up the in-
tegration of women into the labour market and by opening
the borders to migrants, the number of people paying pension
insurance contributions can be raised. Considering the rising
stress levels at work along with job precarisation, we find it
inappropriate to try to solve the problem by extending the
working life span, i.e. by raising retirement age. Last but not
leas, a stop must be put to financial speculation with money
paid into state pension funds, which may put the old-age pro-
vision of many people at risk.
On the other hand, state provision of elder care needs to
be substantially expanded to include home care and nursing
by trained personnel as well as adequately staffed state and
non-profit old-age and nursing homes. What is required in
this sensitive area of social care is highly qualified nursing and
care-giving staff, as well as time to devote to the emotional
and social needs of older people. Owing to the lack of trained
personnel in the western countries, the in-migration of care-
giving and nursing staff, for instance from south-eastern Eu-
rope, is to be promoted, while ensuring appropriate pay and
social insurance.
The claim to living a dignified and self-determined old age
must extend to the terminal period of life. We request an ethical
debate, that appears all the more pressing in view of growing
life expectancy and the related physical and mental diseases,
and which is supposed to sort out issues, such as terminal care,
euthanasia and self-determination in death.
We actively support the involvement of the younger gen-
eration in decision-making processes with a bearing on the
future of our society and of the next generation. Beyond that,
Demographic development and social
insecurity – for a new inter-generational
contract
10 International Friends of Nature