From „Apocalyptic Demography” to Ageism

In a socio-political environment in which the efforts of collaborating on the path to social equity and respect for the fundamental human rights and freedoms gradually intensify, the way society relates to the elderly becomes one of the most important and, at the same time, one of the most challenging. Having as a starting point the prolific phenomenon of demographic growth, the current issue regarding the elderly population’s situation is gaining a priority on public and political agendas all over the world. It is true that, considering the alarming predictions of the enormous pressure the demographic ageing, in the near future, will bring upon the social welfare safety-nets, the politicians and social policy specialists need to approach the issue urgently and efficiently, in order to maintain the balance between the rights and privileges of the economically active and the retired. There is however a secondary and equally urgent threat associated to this process: the proliferation of ageism, both at a personal and institutionalized level. Ignoring this indirect effect of the “apocalyptic demography” can lead to serious social dysfunctions and drastically alter intergenerational solidarity.


Keywords: ageism, fundamental human rights, social equity