[mwfunk]

That’s a problem of demographics and unemployment, not a Ponzi scheme. Ponzi schemes are scams, but they do effectively take money from people and give it to other people, which doesn’t happen if there’s no funds to transfer.

I don’t think any country can sustain a 25% unemployment rate for any length of time without it having catastrophic second- and third-order effects. That’s the problem, not the concept of taxpayer-funded pensions. All sorts of things are going to be underfunded or otherwise hosed if you’re struggling with 25% unemployment for any length of time. Nations have imploded over far less.

[user5994461]

It's not the percentage for the whole population. It's 25% unemployment for young people. 50% unemployment for young people without higher education.