The Political Economy of Ageing and the Second Coming of Neoliberalism: Building an Emancipatory Gerontology

Abstract The social context for ageing populations is raising important questions and issues given competing pressures from the impact of austerity, the changing role of the state, precarious forms of labour, and threats to state and occupational pensions. This article will argue that such challenges underline the need for a new political economy of ageing, one that acknowledges the significance of a resurgent neoliberalism in reshaping institutions supporting later life. This article first examines the development of political economy perspectives on ageing; second, it outlines different phases in the emergence of neoliberalism together with its impact on policies for older people. Third, it sets out a response in terms of fostering new approaches to the role of the state and construction of an emancipatory gerontology around the themes of reconnecting to the original vision of a welfare state, developing ‘substantive equalities’ applied to older people, identifying new forms of support given the rise of precarious working environments, and stimulating new forms of collective engagement amongst older people.