In both developed and developing nations, old age security is a concern of the utmost importance. Wealthy nations face ailing government pension systems, while less developed nations struggle to construct viable mechanisms for assisting the needy elderly. In this unique and provocative monograph, Oskari Juurikkala, fully cognizant of these differences and drawing on the wisdom of the Christian social tradition, argues that the solution for both groups of nations lies in the same direction - away from reliance on the state and toward strong familial and other private networks. It is a universal fact of human experience that the interaction between generations is at once a source of material and spiritual support, social development, and tension (if not conflict). It follows that it is a perennial challenge to minimize the negative potential and maximize the positive potential of this interaction. Concern over the relationship between young and old spikes from time to time according to the rise and fall of sundry political or cultural crises. That concern is sometimes based on real, significant problems, and sometimes it is based merely on the perception that one or the other side of a generational battle has lost touch or has failed to assimilate the knowledge or habits necessary for the maintenance of advanced civilization.
