Compulsory Employment for Millions of Retirees Under New Suggestion
In a world where mandatory service is often associated with young adults, the concept of requiring public or military service from elderly or retired individuals is not commonly institutionalized globally. Traditionally, conscription or mandatory service systems focus on able-bodied younger adults, typically males, for military or civil duties.
Across the globe, countries such as Switzerland, where all able-bodied male citizens undergo mandatory military or civilian service starting at majority age, represent the standard form of mandatory service that targets younger adults [1]. Pension and retirement systems in countries like Australia, Canada, Finland, France, and others do not involve mandatory service as a condition for retirees [4].
If such a policy were to be introduced or considered, the pros and cons would need to be carefully weighed. On the one hand, the benefits might include utilization of retirees' experience and skills in community service, mentoring, or advisory roles, potentially enhancing social cohesion and keeping retired individuals active, which could benefit their physical and mental health. On the other hand, concerns could arise regarding infringement on retirees’ personal freedom during a phase of life meant for rest and recuperation, logistical challenges in adapting service tasks to varying health and capability levels of older adults, and potential ethical and legal issues regarding compulsory service for elderly people, possibly conflicting with social security and retirement benefits.
Instead, countries are focusing on providing care, healthcare, and social support for retirees rather than imposing service obligations. Countries like Portugal and Panama offer attractive elderly care services and retirement benefits tailored to retirees, including healthcare facilitation and fiscal incentives, without service requirements [2][3].
At the moment, there is no evidence of any country enforcing mandatory service for retirees as part of national policy based on available data. The proposal remains a hypothetical discussion, with social media discussions abundant but the implementation of such a policy seeming rather unlikely at the moment due to criticism from various sides.
As the pension system grapples with demographic changes, the potential implementation of mandatory service for retirees could be both physically and mentally taxing for retirees. However, it could provide relief, as suggested by Klaus Hurrelmann, a youth researcher and sociologist who advocates for the idea. Young workers, carrying a heavier burden in the pension system, would have to defend the country in a crisis, making the proposed mandatory service for the elderly a potential source of support.
The concept of the mandatory service for retirees is unclear in terms of what it would look like, and many users on social media express criticism towards the proposal. Retirees, according to some users, have worked enough and deserve the right to shape their retirement freely. Another user labels the proposal as "nonsense."
In conclusion, mandatory service for retirees is not currently a recognized or implemented policy in countries globally, and programs tend instead to emphasize retirement benefits and healthcare support. The proposed mandatory service could potentially foster stronger cohesion, relief, and more solidarity between different generations, but it remains a contentious topic in the discourse surrounding elderly care policies.
- In Contrast to conventional policies that focus on young adults for mandatory service, a hypothetical policy of requiring service from retirees could potentially leverage their experience and skills, thereby improving social cohesion and promoting health-and-wellness among the elderly.
- Despite the proposed benefits of mandatory service for retirees, such as providing relief to young workers, various concerns arise, including infringement on personal freedom, logistical challenges, ethical issues, and potential conflicts with existing retirement benefits.
- Unlike countries like Switzerland and Portugal that offer attractive retirement benefits without service requirements, there is no national policy enforcing mandatory service for retirees as of now, and the proposal remains a controversial topic in the field of policy-and-legislation and politics.
