who invented retirement ?

[datamax]

The social security thread had me wondering. Its not Biblical, its not something that is practiced by people in third world countries that don't have a social program I wonder if it didn't appear at the same time social security did ? When a person gets old why should they quit working ? its not an entitlement is it ? or is it ?

[tardfarmer]

When a person gets old why should they quit working ?

Unless you're in a subsistence type of situation, there is no "need" to keep working. Plus lets face it, most people have limited productivity after the age of 60. Hell, i've worked with people whose productivity was zero after the age of 30.

Plus, we have a semi-limited job market.

But, once I retire, i'm going to get a job to keep busy. I'm thinking something like Wal-Mart store greeter - where I can get years of pent up frustration out on everyone....

[datamax]

there is no "need" to keep working

Then people have always retired ?

Plus lets face it, most people have limited productivity after the age of 60.

I do not buy that. I've seen many older people working and being productive.

[tardfarmer]

Then people have always retired ?

NO, I specifically said that unless you were in a subsistence type of situation......... ie: we are all no longer living in sod huts nad plowing the fields at 4 AM.

I do not buy that. I've seen many older people working and being productive.

And I've seen many that weren't worth their weight in dog crap. It depends upon the person and the job. How many 60 year old iron workers do you see ???

[Charley]

The social security thread had me wondering. Its not Biblical, its not something that is practiced by people in third world countries that don't have a social program I wonder if it didn't appear at the same time social security did ? When a person gets old why should they quit working ? its not an entitlement is it ? or is it ?

Retirement has become an issue simply because life spans have increased tremendously in developed countries in the last 100 years. When the average life span was 45 years (not THAT long ago, even in the US) retirement was not an issue.

[tardfarmer]

When the average life span was 45 years (not THAT long ago, even in the US) retirement was not an issue.

Excellent point

[Coastie]

http://www.garybeene.com/retire/ret-hist.htm

tardfarmer (fng) should like this, it turns out the first system of retirement was from all places, Germany. Go figure.

[PapaD]

im pretty sure the same president who invented medicare and social security invented it. roosevelt i believe. i could be totally wrong

[tardfarmer]

tardfarmer (fng) should like this, it turns out the first system of retirement was from all places, Germany.

And you people thought all we did was war.....

[mdrbowler99]

Medicare and Social Security were great ideas when first thought up.But then greedy politicians got their hands into it.By the time many govt program money gets to who needs it,there isn't much left because of all the administrative costs and govt. employees don't work cheap.