Who would have thought that living longer could have such a
negative impact? Here's why. It all started 80 years ago, when
those that had survived World War Two went out and celebrated.
Birth rates around the world spiked and the 'Baby Boomer'
generation was born.
Generally defined as the time period between 1946 and 1964, the
baby boom saw a surge in birth rates alongside a dramatic decline
in death rates due to advances in medicine and public health. This
combination led to rapid population growth in many high-income
countries, which influenced their societies for generations.
They were preceded by the so-called 'Silent Generation',
born between 1928 and 1945, who were lucky to enjoy almost full
employment and prosperity into their later life. They and the Baby
Boomers typically worked and stayed in the same country, and they
paid into the social security system. This meant there were more
people were paying into the system than drawing from it. Think of
it as
