> The origin of the modern pension system in Prussia was not actually designed to let people retire; the age was initially pegged to 70, the life expectancy of Prussians in 1881.
As you can already read sidethread, a life expectancy of 70 means huge majorities of people living well past 70. Every baby who dies at the age of 8 months means half a dozen people die in their 80s. (Or, you know, several dozen people die in their 70s.)
Even if lifespans weren't skewed low, which they are, 50% of all people would live beyond the life expectancy at birth.
As you can already read sidethread, a life expectancy of 70 means huge majorities of people living well past 70. Every baby who dies at the age of 8 months means half a dozen people die in their 80s. (Or, you know, several dozen people die in their 70s.)
Even if lifespans weren't skewed low, which they are, 50% of all people would live beyond the life expectancy at birth.