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VLK
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Quits with societyThere was an interesting article in the newspaper(I wonīt advertise) one day about how some people have made a very interesting but also very worrying calculation about how much tax-payers profit to society. In the 60īs it could still be said that after a person had finished his/her studies by the age of 25 at the latest and got a good job thereafter, he/she had paid his/her debt to society by the age of 35 and after that contributed 30 years to society.
I mean, when you go to the kindergarten and then to primary, secondary and tertiary level of education, you are a burden to the taxpayer. In the past you had paid back the amount of money society had spent on you in form of your taxes by 35.
Nowadays things are different. Many people donīt finish their studies till they are 25-30 some way past 30 and there are so many other public services every citizen is entitled to. Today the age by which an average working person is quits with society is estimated to be as high as 55. Then he/she contributes to society with his/her taxes for 10 years at most and as peopleīs life-span has increased, they become a burden yet again after they have retired.
Therefore many people say that there is absolutely no alternative to immigration. Not any sort of immigration but immigration of young adults who have been educated in their country of birth, therefore costing nothing for the tax-payer.
The problem is that an average person on the street is very sceptical of immigration and often say: Look at the ghettoes and increased crime. Well, they are right about that.The manner in immigration has been handled has been sub-standard.
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azzuri
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I've moved this to Global Politics, as it has nothing to do with Scottish Politics in particular.
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SLG
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I don't understand how people living longer and remaining healthier for longer doesn't translate into people having to work longer. The demographics are changing, but the same factors that are leading to people living longer also mean that people should be able to work longer. Seems pretty logical to me.
Personally I don't intend to rely on any state pension at all as I have little faith in it and think that it is fair enough that someone in my position should be able to save enough to pay for their own retirement. That includes starting full employment fairly late on after many years in higher education.
I think using immigration as anything other than a short term fix of the demographic shift is very flawed and also unnecessary.
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Aventinian
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Re: Quits with society | VLK wrote: | | Nowadays things are different. Many people donīt finish their studies till they are 25-30 some way past 30 |
Most of them will however be paying tuition fees at this point, although I imagine they may be subsidised. You don't get any more than a standard four year undergrad degree for nowt.
| Quote: | Therefore many people say that there is absolutely no alternative to immigration. Not any sort of immigration but immigration of young adults who have been educated in their country of birth, therefore costing nothing for the tax-payer.
The problem is that an average person on the street is very sceptical of immigration and often say: Look at the ghettoes and increased crime. Well, they are right about that.The manner in immigration has been handled has been sub-standard. |
There's also the fact that this sort of economic thinking would require us to massively increase our population generation upon generation. Now I like immigration, it's good for the country, but it should not be used to plug economic gaps this wide when real alternatives need to be found.
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Aventinian
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| SLG wrote: | | I don't understand how people living longer and remaining healthier for longer doesn't translate into people having to work longer. The demographics are changing, but the same factors that are leading to people living longer also mean that people should be able to work longer. Seems pretty logical to me. |
For the average person, I do wonder if perhaps the only thing we are prolonging their their enfeebled old age rather than the amount of time they can be economically useful.
In their sixties, there does seem - from personal observations, nothing scientific or the like - to be a noticeable physical and mental decline in people. I'm referring to the middle classes here as well, who would be presumed to be amongst the healthiest.
| Quote: | | Personally I don't intend to rely on any state pension at all as I have little faith in it |
You and every other bugger with an ounce of sense! 
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