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Newsletter for Intergenerational Justice – 02/2012
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1.) FRFG Awards Third Demography Prize
2.) Ombudsperson for Future Generations
3.) Klaus Schwab: Capitalism’s Intergenerational Failure & Davos
4.) Young People: Victims of Age Discrimination
5.) Intergenerational Justice and the Role of the Public Sector
6.) Meetings
7.) Last but Not Least...
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1) FRFG AWARDS THIRD DEMOGRAPHY PRIZE
The Third Demography Prize 2010/2011, endowed with a prize fund of €10,000, was awarded to two competition winners on the 16th January 2012. The Jury decided to give 1st Prize to Bettina Munimus, for her submission entitled “From a quantitative majority to qualitative power? An examination of interest groups which represent the older generation”. The 2nd Prize was awarded to Cornelia Wiethaler, for her work “The idea of justice according to Amartya Sen applied to the German social security system – three sketches of a model for local responsibility”. The awards were formally presented to the Prize Winners in Berlin, whose work was then used as the basis for further discussion and debate.
During the Symposium in which the prizes were awarded, the political, societal and economic strategies which can be adopted to cope with the fact of ageing societies were discussed in small groups as well as by experts during a podium discussion. Over 70 participants from positions in economy, politics, and a unexpectedly large number of the general public attended.
FRFG awards the Demography Prize for Young Scientists every two years. It is financially supported by the Stiftung Apfelbaum. The topic of the Call for papers was “Old majority – young minority: Where is a power shift between generations already visible and how can you balance it?”
A brief documentation of the Symposium can be accessed here .
A more detailed German version is also available.
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 2) OMBUDSPERSON FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
The World Future Council, an association of fifty renowned individuals, has proposed the introduction of an Ombudsperson for Future Generations at the United Nations. According to Jakob von Uexküll, chairman of the Council, the aim of such an Ombudsperson would be to “represent and promote the rights of future generations to inherit a well-functioning economic, ecological, and social system within the scope of global politics and UN activities”. Moreover, “a fully independent Ombudsperson of this type, who could communicate with the public and submit proposals based on these interactions, would make the UN more democratic, accountable and open.”
FRFG welcomes this proposal and will promote it at the upcoming UN World Conference for Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro. Within Germany, FRFG promotes the institutional anchoring of generational justice in the constitution.
Background information on the World Future Council .
Information on FRFG’s aim to enshrine intergenerational justice in constitutions .
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 3) KLAUS SCHWAB: CAPITALISM’S INTERGENERATIONAL FAILURE & DAVOS
The founder of the World Economic Forum, Klaus Schwab, has spoken out against the "lack of inclusiveness in the capitalist system" and the worrying consequences of the current global financial crisis for future generations. Although often noted by commentators as a staunch supporter of free markets, Schwab has spoken out against the perceived failures of capitalism and, from an unusually critical standpoint, called for deep reform. From an intergenerational standpoint, his main concern is that governments are alleviating the socio-economic problems of today by sacrificing necessary investment in the infrastructure of tomorrow. "People feel it's a difficult time”, said Schwab; “there is, they feel, a lack of future perspective.”
The World Economic Forum took place between the 25th and 29th January 2012. A discussion chaired by Schwab himself on “The Future across Generations – Annual Meeting 2012” was particularly noteworthy from an intergenerational perspective. The jury is out on whether the words expressed at the Forum will be put into action.
View the full debate here .
Original article on Schwab’s critique of capitalism .
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 4) YOUNG PEOPLE: VICTIMS OF AGE DISCRIMINATION
The Economic and Social Affairs Department of the United Nations highlighted the deleterious effects of the current financial situation on levels of youth unemployment in its World Youth Report, published on the 6th February 2012. The Report states that young people have been faced with unemployment levels far higher than any other age group for a long time, and that they regard themselves as victims of ageism. Additionally, according to a recent investigation conducted by the national anti-discrimination unit in Germany, age discrimination is more than a minor phenomenon. Moreover, it affects young people more than the old: in comparison to old people (17%), double the amount of students and young people (34%) reported that they have suffered disadvantages in the world of work based on age.
FRFG promotes several measures designed to tackle age discrimination and secure a fair deal for young people. We support the repeal of special privileges for senior citizens with regard to their working rights and wages as well protection for young employees and interns.
UN World Youth Report
German age discrimination study
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 5) INTERGENERATIONAL JUSTICE AND THE ROLE OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR
Speaking to students on the 21st January, the Labour Party leader in the UK, Ed Miliband, highlighted intergenerational justice as the key issue of modern times. Mr Miliband emphasised the need to build and maintain a large public sector during the downturn:
“Intergenerational justice…is going to be the issue of the next 10 or 15 years. Is this generation, my generation, going to do right by the younger generation…The thing you learn is that it takes a very short time to create youth unemployment, it takes a long time, a generation, to undo the effects of it.”
Jane Ellison, Conservative Party MP, strongly criticised Mr. Miliband’s interventionist stance by claiming that his party “lacks any credibility on tackling the deficit”. Moreover, Mr. Miliband stands for “more spending, more borrowing and more debt today”.
The debate highlights a key question for intergenerational policy during the financial crisis, with relevance extending far beyond the UK: Intervene to correct the market at the risk of creating intergenerational debt, or be guided by the liberal non-interventionist doctrine in the hope that the market will regulate itself? Despite party differences, the fact that intergenerational justice is becoming invoked and discussed in national policy circles should be a step in the right direction for the well-being of future generations.
Original article in the Telegraph
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6.) Meetings
12th Feburary: “Rebellion and Revolt in Europe – a Generational Question?” Podium discussion with FRFG Spokesman Wolfgng Gründinger. Karlsruhe.
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7.) LAST BUT NOT LEAST....
Please let us know of people who are interested in the topic Intergenerational Justice. If you send us their postal address, they will receive a copy of the magazine >Intergenerational Justice Review< as a non-binding sample copy.
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All newsletters are available on our homepage: www.intergenerationaljustice.org > Press > Newsletter
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