Solidarity and tension between age-groups in the United States: challenge for an aging America in the 21st century

In this article, we argue that intergenerational tensions in the United Sta tes reflect a strategy for serving the aged that stresses the underlying va lues of individualism and self-reliance. Using national survey data, we exa mine the extent to which Americans' view of public responsibility for the a ged has shifted between the mid-1980s and late-1990s, a period characterize d by the intensification of "generational" politics, as well as a growing h ostility toward "big government." We consider four factors that may be resp onsible for the escalation of intergenerational tensions as they are manife st in the erosion of public support for programs and policies serving the e lderly: (1) Declining intergenerational solidarity with the aged; (2) Incre asing concerns over age-inequity in public programs; (3) Increasing concern s over resource-inequity in public programs; and (4) Increasing opposition to big government. Results indicate that the public has generally grown mor e apprehensive about the value and costs of government programs serving bot h the elderly and the poor. Yet, the fact that Social Security enjoys far m ore support than social programs serving the poor suggests that the elderly are perceived as more deserving of their benefits than other dependent gro ups in society. The public also appears increasingly reluctant to redistrib ute old age benefits according to need. Age-group contrasts revealed little evidence of direct tension between the generations. The results suggest th at growing distrust of government and reluctance to help the poor has indir ectly fueled opposition to public spending on the older population. Propose d changes to programs and policies affecting the elderly will need to take into account the ambivalence felt by many Americans toward a government the y expect to make good on its promise to care for all older citizens, but to use fewer resources in doing so.