'The ageing of western societies, Blackburn maintains, constitutes more of a "common shock" than an "individually insurable 'risk'". Private pensions are part of a "dysfunctional 'grey capitalism'", bad value if not outright corrupt. Our whole lives have become ever more "financialised", starting in studenthood with the unavoidable (for the unrich) assumption of massive debt, and continuing throughout life as everyone is exhorted to become their own atomic risk-island and learn the financial wizardry necessary to hedge the risk themselves. What are we going to do to avoid "a game of musical chairs in which, when the music stops, many retirees find themselves with nothing to sit on"? Blackburn proposes to ensure "decent pensions for all" by raising government pensions and keeping them at around 75 per cent of average income. This money ought, he argues, to be raised through a share levy on corporations - an idea first mooted in Sweden last century and vigorously derailed by Swedish plutocrats. Blackburn's book is a serious and finely argued attack on contemporary market fundamentalism in a vivid phrasemaking style, which is even entertaining when it is not depressing you with the facts. To be read to the accompaniment of Pulp's "Help the Aged".' Steven Poole, Guardian Most countries face the future with an ageing population, yet most governments are cutting back on pensions and the care services needed by the elderly.

Robin Blackburn exposes the perverse reasoning and special interests which have combined to produce this nonsensical state of affairs. This updated paperback edition of Age Shock includes a new preface explaining why the credit crunch and eurozone crisis have had such a devastating impact and outlining a way to guarantee decent pensions and care provision. Book jacket.