Past Present Future An Ageing World: The Problem of Gerontocracy
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Sep 30, 2026 
Samuel Moyn, a Yale historian and legal scholar, examines gerontocracy: the rule of the old. Why do older Americans hold so much political power and wealth? The conversation explores ageing electorates, entrenched politicians, property, campaign finance, healthcare, climate policy, and whether younger generations can gain fair representation.
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A Young President Would Not End Gerontocracy
- Younger presidential candidates would not automatically solve gerontocracy because Congress, courts, and the electorate would remain disproportionately old.
- Even candidates at America’s population median still leave younger age cohorts largely unrepresented.
Why An Aging Electorate Distorts Democracy
- An aging electorate matters because underrepresented generations receive less political voice and weaker policy responsiveness.
- Moyn compares low youth participation with racial turnout gaps and points toward consequences for climate, immigration, and long-term policy.
Reform Voting Rules For Younger Citizens
- Revise voting rules that penalize younger citizens’ mobility and work constraints before relying on more radical reforms.
- Moyn proposes lowering the voting age, proxy votes for children, or weighting votes by expected remaining life years.