Age inequality: Marxism
Reserve Army of Labour
Byrne argues that young and old age are open used as part of the reserve army of labour
Both the young and the Elderly can be exploited for cheap labour when the economy is booming easily lived and fixed
for example, many young and old take up zero hour contracts, only working when their employees need them
Vincent
as the need for income post - retirement as grown, so as the of the elderly
as a reserve army of labour
attempts to explain the economic disadvantage suffered by different age groups
it fails to recognise difference in the way people experience age, e.g. class or gender
fails to account for the many well respected jobs that are often dominated by elderly e.g. Judges
Vincent argues that the retirement age was introduced to benefit the capitalist system
it makes unemployment appear lower, and it also channels profit into the hands of financial companies who sell private pensions
he argues that the media attention on the 'ageing population' is a moral panic to divert attention from the structural flaws and underlying problems of capitalism
example: a fair welfare state, or climate change. these involve costs to businesses, so capitalists would rather not let people focus on these
attempts to explain how laws can construct age in way that benefits capitalism
it could be argued that capitalism would be better served without a retirement age, so they would have a larger pool of the workers
postmodernist argue that the elderly are active consumers with deal of influence, they aren't passively exploited by capitalism
Neo Marxism
Townshend - political economy theory
argues that the political and economic system institutionally marginalisees. thee elderly in way that benefits capailtism
by institutionally marginalising the elderly, it keeps its workforce younger and therefore more productive.
the system encourages the elderly to feel dependent and therefore step aside for younger workers
makes an attempt at explaining the societal roots of ageism in society.
fails to acknowledge that the political economy is geared in favour of the elderly in many ways e.g. 'grey vote' and 'grey pound'
Phillipson argues that the elderly often been used in this way many will need extra income post- retirement