Global Pension Crisis: Unfunded Liabilities and How We Can Fill the Gap

CHAPTER 11

The Ultimate Solution

I am not entirely sure who I should be addressing this chapter to and who is supposed to address the problems I have outlined with solutions. I can see the problem and I can assess the extent of the needs, but public policy is a world unto itself. I am far more interested in making sure people (first and foremost my students) gain awareness of the situation and begin to understand the extreme importance of the problem. It is my belief that this issue will pervade almost every area of modern life in the next 40 years and will have great impact on careers, fortunes, and lives. If handled badly, there will be great conflict as there always seems to be when resource allocation comes down to haves and have-nots. Those who are losing power are the ones who currently have the power, both economic and militarily. Those who are positioned to benefit are many of the up-and-coming people of the world. I can expound on the circle of life, but that is little solace to the expected losers.

Initially, I wanted to call this book, You Can't Build Your Walls High Enough, because that is the overwhelming sentiment that screams at me for this problem. I am struck by the belief that hiding from the problem is impossible, no matter how high you think you can build your walls. This problem will affect us all. So the question remains, how do we solve it? I will state with great confidence that many will find my solution either naïve or unrealistic, but better to start ...