For the first century of the United States, average life expectancy remained near 40 years. After 1880, advances in medicine and public health raised it sharply. By 1930, Americans could expect about 20 additional years. Today the average stands near 79.
Yale Law School professor Samuel Moyn notes the positive shift but examines its downsides in his book “Gerontocracy in America.” He describes how longer lives have created a society where older adults hold disproportionate political influence and wealth, while limiting opportunities for younger generations.
Moyn points to data showing the median age of members of Congress exceeds 60, voters average 52, and some donors reach 70. Workers over 55 now make up nearly a quarter of the labor force, up from 10 percent in 1990. Homeownership and wealth have also concentrated among older groups.
The author argues this trend steers the country away from innovation and toward preservation. He proposes measures such as mandatory voting, greater public election funding, revised age-based tax policies, and restored mandatory retirement ages. He also advocates a stronger social model of elder care to ease financial pressures on older workers.
In an interview, Moyn stressed that the age of voters and donors matters as much as the age of officeholders. Older electorates tend to favor stability over long-term reforms on issues like climate and debt. He also calls for eliminating the Senate, viewing it as an outdated institution designed to favor older voices and block change.
