That's a bunch of bunk - retirement or pensions have been around for a long time. It is not a matter of a countries wealth but rather how a society treats it's older people. It's also a matter of how one prepares for the time when they are no longer able to care or to work. Retirement in general is not a "gift", it is what many people have worked hard for. No body will give me my retirement, I don't even consider social security a "gift", like others, I paid into it year after year - I expect a return on that investment. When I retire, and it will be a few more years for me, I plan to enjoy what I worked, saved and sacrificed for.