Is early retirement history? Prof Philip Taylor considers

In this article Professor Philip Taylor considers whether we have seen the end of early retirement, a feature of late 20th century policy in many industrialised countries.

He points out how the more recent policy of encouraging older workers to continue working is in part based on the view that older people are (otherwise) regarded as a growing burden on society.

He makes the point that, ironically, the early retirement policy also viewed older workers as a burden, but in that case it was in order to legitimise their social exclusion.