Emeklilik Sistemlerinde Değişim ve Kuşakların Emekliliği
Changes in Retirement Systems and Retirement of Generations

Summary/Abstract: People are significantly influenced by the economic, cultural, and political events of the era in which they live, leading to differences in individual characteristics and perspectives. In Western literature, individuals are classified according to their birth period and are identified using various generational labels. Although the sociocultural differences between generations have been widely examined in the literature, this study presents an intergenerational comparative analysis specifically focused on the retirement dimension of social security systems. Retirement systems, built within the framework of the modern welfare state, are under substantial pressure due to demographic transformations—such as population aging—and structural changes in the labor market. In this context, the study analyzes how economic policies, demographic trends, and the social characteristics of generations affect retirement systems. It comparatively examines the retirement conditions of different generations, ranging from the Lost Generation to Generation Beta. This study elaborates on the historical development of public pension systems in Europe and the United States, detailing the reforms driven by increased life expectancy, declining fertility rates, and concerns about financial sustainability. The findings reveal that early cohorts such as the Silent Generation and the Baby Boomers had more favorable retirement conditions, while Generations X, Y, and Z face later retirement ages, lower pensions, and growing economic uncertainty. Moreover, the study emphasizes that technological advancements and automation have further complicated the employment-based financing of retirement systems. It argues that in order to ensure sustainability, funding must extend beyond labor income to include alternative sources such as capital gains and robot taxation. Otherwise, an increase in elderly poverty appears inevitable. In conclusion, the study underscores that retirement systems must be restructured not only from the perspective of financial sustainability but also in line with principles of intergenerational equity and social welfare.

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