Some individuals are of the opinion that governments should support the retired in terms of finances, whilst others believe that they should be self-sufficient. This essay discusses two sides of the argument before elaborating the reasons why I lean towards the latter view.
On the one hand, some people assert that the authorities should aid senior citizens financially as they contribute to the betterment of society. When they are young, they fulfill tax obligations and purchase products, allowing enterprises to pay taxes as well to enrich the national budget. Such levies can serve as a powerful motivator for some public construction projects such as hospitals, roads and bridges to be implemented. With their dedicated contributions, they deserve to be financially supported by governments through social welfare programs such as free-of-charge healthcare service or monthly pensions.
On the other hand, this does not mean the senior citizens should rely entirely on financial support from the government. First and foremost, it is irrefutable that regardless of how wealthy countries are, the cost that governments have to pay is extremely enormous, especially in some countries with an aging population. This can lead to the strain on state officials to shoulder it as well as the huge drain in the state budget to invest in other important fields such as education, military and economy. In the long term, this can even slow down the process of country developments. Consequently, to ensure the sufficiency in the national budget, the government would enact heavier taxes on the working population, thereby increasing the workload they have to do. Furthermore, provisioning well-being for the old tends to result in the dependence of the youth when they will not save for their retirement.
In conclusion, although both viewpoints are justifiable, I do believe that each person should work hard and make savings during their working years to be self-sufficient as much as possible before retirement to ease the burden on for the authorities. As a result, future retirees may increasingly rely on their own savings and investments, leading to a more resilient and self-sufficient aging population.