Member-only story
Social Security Can Deepen Inequality When Not Done Right
Universality is the best way to pay if you want to avoid furthering social issues.
A couple of years ago on a dating app, I was talking to a guy from Philadelphia who had moved to Argentina recently. He was obsessed with money and showing that he had it, but his goal was to eventually move to Northern Europe. Denmark was his country of choice.
“I understand, the social security there is amazing,” I said.
“No, I’ve got money, I don’t need social security,” he said. “I mean I’d love to live in a place with decent health care, education, safety, that kind of thing.”
“Yeah, so… Social security.”
He didn’t love it. Social security made him feel poor. Lower class.
As a Finn, it hadn't even occurred to me that someone would see those words as a negative. For us, social security is a universal system of benefits and services that’s there for everyone, not only for those most in need.
That’s why it works.
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