There is an ongoing debate whether the responsibility of providing care and financial support for senior citizens should be the responsibility of the government or it is their own responsibility. I believe that the latter approach is better in the current economy.
The reasoning behind the view that the government is responsible to provide vulnerable citizens with care relies on the argument that it controls taxation and social welfare systems. These tools make an obligation for authorities to redistribute resources to those who are unable to take care of themselves. The public pension system and national healthcare programs are financed through income taxes, which are specifically designed for senior citizens who are unable to take care and financial support due to they no longer participate in the workforce.However, I think this perspective lacks foresight. It is highly challenging to provide everyone fairly, resulting in the lack of social welfare systems.
Some people argue that providing care and financial support is primarily individuals’ responsibility. It is because individuals prepare throughout their whole working lives and that is why they are best placed to prepare for old age. Since the government cannot accurately predict each individual’s needs, it is obvious why some people save money in advance. Moreover, a lot of citizens prefer to invest in private welfare systems due to the shrinking population. In countries with demographic crises the proportion of elderly people grows while the number of work-age citizens is declining, placing a financial strain. I agree with this opinion, as personal savings reduces pressure on social welfare system and protects the younger generation from excessive tax burdens.
In conclusion, while inability to work may be the case for governmental support, I believe that each person should take care of themself in advance due to the inability of the government to support everyone in terms of the demographic crisis.