Episode #199
Are Young and Old People Voting for Different Futures?
Are Canada’s politics becoming less about left versus right and more about young versus old? In this episode of Classonomics, Mike Moffatt and Sabrina Maddeaux explore the growing generational divide in Canadian politics and what it means for the economy, housing, and the future of democracy. They examine why older voters may prioritize inflation, pensions, and asset prices, while younger Canadians increasingly feel shut out of homeownership, economic growth, and traditional institutions. Topics covered: The growing age divide in Canadian politics Why seniors and younger voters have different economic priorities “Pocketbook” versus “sociotropic” voting Economic growth and the distribution of wealth Old Age Security and the politics of an aging population Housing prices, homeownership, and generational inequality Why young Canadians feel increasingly disconnected from the economy Populism, political radicalization, and distrust in institutions Brexit and the backlash against economic elites Why making the economy work for younger Canadians matters for the future #Canada #CanadianPolitics #HousingCrisis #GenerationalDivide #Economy #Politics #HousingAffordability #Millennials #GenZ #MissingMiddle Chapters: 00:00 — Is Age Breaking Our Politics? 03:26 — The Generational Divide Is Reshaping Politics 06:22 — Why Voters Are Choosing Their Own Wallets Over Growth 10:14 — Why Older and Younger Voters Want Different Things 13:17 — Why Politicians Want to Keep Home Prices High 16:08 — Why Young People Are Losing Faith in the System 17:26 — How Economic Frustration Fuels Populism 20:33 — Why Young Voters Are Turning to Extremes 21:03 — How to Make the Economy Work for Young People Research: Beer question: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beer_question Vlandas study: https://muse.jhu.edu/article/980470 German research: https://www.kielinstitut.de/publications/kiel-focus/the-economic-consequences-of-populism/ Tobi Lutke’s idea that pensioners be excluded from voting is offensive. The concern behind it isn’t https://www.theglobeandmail.com/authors/mike-moffatt/ Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/
