Social problem of elderly
people in Finland
- The American magazine
"Newsweek" named recently Finland as the best country in the
world in case of welfare. It is a result of comparison of standards
of living, social protection and support in different states.
- Problem:
Tension between high unemployment and early retirement and an increasing
life-expectancy and low birth rates is a threat for social security
systems as they increase expenditures and reduce tax revenues.
Old-age dependency ratio
in Finland and the EU27
Source: Eurostat, EUROPOP 2008
Finland is on the first place by aging
population.
The guiding question
- How Finland can resolve
the population ageing problem when the number of old people who need
benefits is bigger then young people who pay taxes?
History of the question
Debating: two main actors
Agenda – retirement age
- National Coalitional
Party
- Provides interests mostly
of employers
- Has an attempted to move
the existing age of retirement from 63 to 66
- Left Union of Finland
- Provides interests of labor
force
- Union leaders have firmly
rejected idea of increasing retirement age
- Support labor interests
- For improving conditions
of workers
References
- Andrey Petrov. Finland beyond
the planet // Nevskoe time. – 12.10.2010. // http://rus.ruvr.ru/2010/10/11/25335381.html
- Alexander Ykkonen. Work
in Finland – new possibilities // http://www.datsha.com/rus/news.php?id=143
- Veli Laine, Mart Maiväli,
European Commission. Finland:
adjusting to an ageing population. Brussels.
June 2010. //http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/publications/country_focus/2010/cf-7-04_en.htm
- Ageing Studio Dossier. October
19th, 2010 //http://helsinkidesignlab.org/dossiers/ageing
- Government Meets Design
// Helsinki design lab //http://www.hdl2010.org/event/
- OECD Public Governance Reviews:
Finland 2010. Working Together to Sustain Success. 09
Sep 2010 // http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/governance/oecd-public-governance-reviews-finland-2010_9789264086081-en
Conclusion
The ageing problem
in Finland is more like a challenge for the country, because it gives
the possibility for the government to try their selves in the development
of a new policies that can really change the lives of the existing and
the future generations.