The Social Contract – between the generations

Af Bjarne Hastrup

The social contract between generations is the visible and invisible contract that binds generations together in caring for children, educating children and young adults, and providing for elderly parents. Yet the balance between the generations in Denmark – and the rest of the world – is undergoing dynamic changes, putting the social contract up for debate and renegotiation. There is a need for a new understanding – particularly between the young generation and the old – in anticipation of pension, labor market, healthcare and economic reforms.Bjarne Hastrup points to the wide spectrum of options we have to create a new social contract that will benefit every generation. He reviews the historical and future foundations of the social contract – and proposes a strategic tool to use in our deliberations and debates.