Unequal burdens and shortened retirement period – the bitter reality of contributors with low incomes
Many low-income people have been burdened with the pension system for many years, contribute to the pension system and still look at a much too short annuity period with resignation. The disappointment is great because one’s own physical and mental stress reduces life expectancy through harsh working conditions and health stress. The difference in theactual lifespan determines how long someone can enjoy the fruit of their deposits at all. The existing pension model largely ignores this unequal life expectancy and fails to combine the same contribution periods with comparable pension terms. This massive injustice causes the one who pays the most and is often the mostsacrificed, ultimately benefit the least.
The failure of the pension system structure – equality becomes an illusion
The very high mortality rate in vulnerable populations means that a significant proportion of people do not even realize the statutory pension. Consequently, contribution payments often remain without noticeable consideration, which contradicts the foundation of social security diametrically. The pay-as-you-go method also leads through the combination of varying contribution periods,different pay amount and the disparate lifespan to a silent redistribution in favor of wealthy contributors with longer life. This fact shows how the system intensifies social inequalities without sensing them in a meaningful way. The normative premise of social security is thus effectively undermined, the fundamental claims of the welfare state are violated becausethe system no longer offers the protection that the Basic Law requires.
The growing gap in life expectancy and social justice
The gap in life expectancy between social classes continues to grow, and with it the inequality in the pension period and in the standard of living in old age. Higher income groups benefit from better health conditions, less stressful jobs and longer retirement periods, while lower-income groups often benefit from early retirement andshorter pension periods are affected. These divergent life courses translate into social and economic differences, which are clearly evident in old age. These facts fall back to those who are least able to defend themselves, a result of political omissions that do not compensate for social differences.
A system that does not protect, but excludes
For many of those affected, this structural injustice is a bitter reality that damages trust in the welfare state. Instead of social security, many contributors experience a neglect of their rights and needs, an ever-increasing distance between official pension calculations and everyday life. The current situation clearly shows that the existingSystem fails many people and threatens social cohesion.
The silent crisis of pension justice
The debate about pension payments must not only remain reserved for numbers and average statistical values, but must also take into account the reality of people with a difficult life. The unequal burden and largely reduced pension reference time lead to a solidified social inequality in old age, which undermines the spirit of the welfare state concept. Only a sustainable andSocially just reform that involves life expectancy and stress can curb growing frustration and social divisions and regain what they deserve: dignity and security in old age.
