Scot Bertram talks with Victor Davis Hanson to discuss his recent essay, “10 Steps to Save America.”
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Scot Bertram talks with Victor Davis Hanson to discuss his recent essay, “10 Steps to Save America.”
On labor: don’t forget those over retirement age who remain in the workforce often keep high paying jobs from younger workers able to perform them. Those 30 and 40 somethings then make the needed adjustments. On the other hand, Boomers aren’t asking their kids to take care of them and often help them financially, and so need to stay employed past retirement age. It’s a catch 22.
On labor: Qualifying for a position does not necessarily mean once in the new position the candidate will succeed. Retention of those in higher paying jobs eliminates temporarily the need for training and learning the subtle skills of the job. It also carries a very high probability of continued success of that specific position until the geezer elects to step aside for the incoming trainee. And then there is the Peter Principle hovering around to further mess the field up.
Men friends in Shanghai and Beijing – are allowed by the gov to work until 60 y.o. Then they must retire, like it or not. Women friends there are allowed by the gov to work until 50 y.o. Then they must get out, like it or not. All in order to provide the upcoming, following generation access to those positions. In part, this is one of the reasons variations of small capitalism sprout everywhere there. Ironically, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China does not adhere to such rule of age or production. They are selected as needed from the cream of the crop of provincial rigorous examinations. Hence, much of their national hubris may be found sourced therein.