Starzenie sie spoleczenstwa w kontekscie dominujacych zalozen wspolczesnej ekonomii i kultury / Aging of the Society in the Context of Dominant Assumptions of Contemporary Economics and Culture

Current demographic trends indicate that the process of aging is more and more advanced in Western societies. While available literature addressing this issue most often concentrates on developing effective tools for socio-economic policy, this paper aims at exploring dominating assumptions of economics and culture to find how they may influence the demographic process that was mentioned. The purpose of the analysis undertaken here is to verify the thesis which claims that basic anthropological assumptions present in neoclassical economics and modern culture somehow ignore or underestimate such essential aspects of human life as old age and helplessness or weakness connected to it. The conclusions of the paper indicate that there is the need for intergenerational balance within society which e.g. facilitates socio-economic development. Some of the most important factors influencing this may or may not be present within economic theory and culture it is based on. It means that without the adequate vision of human being and phases of human life the process of building a sane and vibrant society where everyone has his or her place is hardly possible.