Den åldrande befolkningens hot mot välfärden - En politisk myt i väst
Ageing population,Political myth,Welfare societyPensions,Demographic changeSocial sciencesSamhällsvetenskaperPolitical and administrative sciencesStatsvetenskapFörvaltningskunskapSocial SciencesLaw and Political Science
The purpose of this thesis is to expose the political myth in the West about the ageing population seen as a threat against the welfare society. To do so I have described what a political myth is, and showed how it is presented in the most influential newspapers and organisations in the West. I have also presented alternative perspectives to the dominating view on the ageing population and it's impacts on welfare. In this way I have tried to point out that the subject has a political dimension. In the thesis last section I compare the message presented in the newspapers and the organisations with the characteristics of a political myth. My result is that there is a striking similarity. To give some examples: The message alludes to feelings and is a threat, it is connected to predominating texts in the society of today, it is presented in a way that makes questioning impossible and my empirical evidence show that it owns authority and credibility. The political dimension of the subject has also been drained. These examples are all distinctive features of a political myth.