Are Politicians Too Focused on Older Generations? (Your Radical Questions with Professor Sarah Harper)

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Sarah Harper is Professor of Gerontology at the University of Oxford and one of the world's leading experts on demographic change. She challenges the widespread belief that ageing populations are primarily a social and economic burden, arguing instead that longer lives represent one of humanity's greatest achievements and an opportunity to rethink how society is organised. In the last episode, Sarah explained why many of the pressures associated with ageing societies stem from institutions that were designed for a very different era. She argued that our welfare systems, labour markets and expectations around retirement no longer reflect the realities of modern life, where people are living longer, healthier lives than previous generations. In this week's Q&A, Sarah joins James Marriott to answer your questions about the future of retirement, pensions and work in an ageing society. She explores generational resentment and how we can bridge the gap between old and young, whether inequality is more important than age, and whether politicians disproportionately focus on older voters. - WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 - Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical are released every Thursday and Monday. Series Producer: Rufus Gray Producers: Nathan Gower and Ivana Davidovic Digital Producer: Gabriel Purcell-Davis Technical Producer: Dafydd Evans Senior News Editor: Sam Bonham