Compulsory Year for Pensioners Sparks Criticism Among Public as Respect Less Approach
In a controversial proposal, economist Marcel Fratzscher has suggested that a mandatory social service year for retirees could help address societal issues such as staff shortages in sectors like care, health, and defense. The proposal, which has been met with both support and criticism, is the centrepiece of Fratzscher's upcoming book on intergenerational justice.
Fratzscher, a board member at the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), argues that this measure would promote a fairer distribution of burdens and more solidarity from the old towards the young. However, the idea has faced strong opposition from various quarters.
The Senior Citizens' Union (Senioren-Union) has explicitly opposed the proposal, stating that it is disrespectful to a generation that has built the country over decades. They argue that elderly people already contribute significantly through voluntary work driven by conviction, rather than state compulsion. The Social Association VdK Germany shares this view, labelling the idea as a "foolish one" without merit for mandatory social service for seniors.
The German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) and the German Social Association (SoVD) have also rejected the proposal, with the DGB warning against playing generations against each other with such suggestions. The SoVD has further rejected accusations made by Fratzscher that the "boomer generation" had too few children, stating that the decision not to have four children was often made for financial reasons due to rising costs.
Not everyone is against the idea, though. Sociologist and generational researcher Klaus Hurrelmann has supported the concept of a social mandatory service for seniors. Fratzscher himself has suggested that technical skills in the defense sector could be utilized by retirees in a mandatory social year.
The proposal also includes the "boomer solidarity tax," which would apply to civil servants, self-employed individuals, and wealthy individuals with multiple properties. This tax, Fratzscher argues, would benefit the 40 percent of retirees with the lowest incomes.
Critics, however, have been vocal in their condemnation. The AfD social policy spokesman, René Springer, has called the proposal a "slap in the face" to seniors who built the country, while BSW founder Sahra Wagenknecht has labelled it as cynical.
As the debate continues, Fratzscher's book on intergenerational justice is set to be published next week, shedding more light on his proposals and sparking further discussions on the future of intergenerational fairness in Germany.
