The Pinch

The baby boom of 1945-65 produced the biggest, richest generation that Britain has ever known. Today, at the peak of their power and wealth, baby boomers now run our country; by virtue of their sheer demographic power, they have fashioned the world around them in a way that meets all of their housing, healthcare and financial needs.

In this original and provocative book, David Willetts shows how the baby boomer generation has attained this position at the expense of their children.

Social, cultural and economic provision has been made for the reigning section of society, whilst the needs of the next generation have taken a back seat. Willetts argues that if our political, economic and cultural leaders do not begin to discharge their obligations to the future, the young people of today will be taxed more, work longer hours for less money, have lower social mobility and live in a degraded environment in order to pay for their parents' quality of life. Baby boomers, worried about the kind of world they are passing on to their children, are beginning to take note. However, whilst the imbalance in the quality of life between the generations is becoming more obvious, what is less certain is whether the older generation will be willing to make the sacrifices necessary for a more equal distribution.

The Pinch is a landmark account of intergenerational relations in Britain. It is essential reading for parents and policymakers alike.

“"This is a wonderful, thought-provoking book, and is something of a tour de force . . . The implications of his argument are profound." -- Financial Times”

This is a wonderful, thought-provoking book, and is something of a tour de force...The implications of his argument are profound. Financial Times
Mr Willetts's book lucidly explains how this unsuitable situation came about through the interaction of demographics, economics and electoral politics. The Times
The Pinch is both a treasure trove of elegantly harvested statistics and a tremendous syhthesis of social analyses, culled from half a lifetime's study of economic and philosophical thought. -- Dominic Lawson Sunday Times

David Willetts is Executive Chairman of the Resolution Foundation and a Visiting Professor at King's College London. He served as the Minister of State for Universities and Science from 2010-2014 and was the Member of Parliament for Havant from 1992-2015.

A revised and updated edition of this landmark account of intergenerational inequality. The baby boom of 1945-65 produced the biggest, richest generation that Britain has ever known. Today, at the peak of their power and wealth, baby boomers now run our country; by virtue of their sheer demographic power, they have fashioned the world around them in a way that meets all of their housing, healthcare and financial needs. In this original and provocative book, David Willetts shows how the baby boomer generation has attained this position at the expense of their children. Social, cultural and economic provision has been made for the reigning section of society, whilst the needs of the next generation have taken a back seat. Willetts argues that if our political, economic and cultural leaders do not begin to discharge their obligations to the future, the young people of today will be taxed more, work longer hours for less money, have lower social mobility and live in a degraded environment in order to pay for their parents' quality of life. Baby boomers, worried about the kind of world they are passing on to their children, are beginning to take note. However, whilst the imbalance in the quality of life between the generations is becoming more obvious, what is less certain is whether the older generation will be willing to make the sacrifices necessary for a more equal distribution. The Pinch is a landmark account of intergenerational relations in Britain. It is essential reading for parents and policymakers alike.

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