Unlike historical 'councils of elders,' contemporary rule by the old is systemic, not formal. Power is wielded through the sheer voting mass of older citizens and their disproportionate control over wealth, which indirectly shapes elections and policy more effectively than direct rule.
The wealth gap is extreme: Americans under 40 hold just 5% of wealth. This hoarding isn't just greed; it's a rational response to a weak welfare state for the elderly, particularly the high cost and uncertainty of long-term care, leading them to retain assets instead of spending down.
The successful lobbying effort by organizations like the AARP to end mandatory retirement has had a significant side effect: pipeline blockages in numerous fields. With older workers staying in jobs longer, career progression for younger generations is stalled in professions from university professors to CEOs.
While Social Security and Medicare successfully reduced poverty for those 65-80, American policy has utterly failed the "old-old" (80+). This creates a crisis in long-term and nursing home care, which financially and emotionally devastates the oldest citizens and their middle-aged caregivers.
Unlike timeless topics like war or education, aging as a subject of intense social and political reflection only emerged around the 1930s. This short history explains why our societal frameworks for dealing with it are still relatively underdeveloped and why there's room for creativity.
The notion that politics is a "young person's game" is obsolete. With more older than younger people in America, the most consequential political debates will now revolve around aging policy. Older citizens are becoming more, not less, politically relevant as they age.