Should children be legally obligated to care for their parents after they become adults?
Throughout human history the elderly have often needed the support of others to survive, and this usually meant their children caring for them once they were unable to provide for themselves. Relatively few people have ever been wealthy enough to save for a secure retirement, and the idea of state pensions for the elderly did not arrive until the late 19th century. Even now old-age pensions are only available in more economically developed countries and are often very small, so that elderly people without savings or children to help them have to live in poverty. In most countries in the world, there is not even such limited state support and most older citizens are dependent on the goodwill of their children. But many countries have no way of enforcing a child’s moral obligation to care for their parents in old age. Parents are compelled by law to maintain their children and states do not rely solely on morals to guarantee the good treatment of children by their parents. But a son or daughter without a sense of moral obligation to support his or her parents may have no legal obligation to do so. Demographic and social changes have led to transformations in traditional familial ties, values and obligations. Many countries have a predominantly aging population, which puts a great strain on the social welfare system and the economy. Also, when reaching the last years of their life, many elderly people find themselves alone and living in poverty, having failed or been unable to save money for their retirement. For decades India, Israel and Taiwan have had laws to enforce the obligation to support one's parents. A dozen American states, among them California and Illinois, have some sort of civil law provision for parents and grandparents to sue descendants for support. In China parents can ask their adult children to sign a new voluntary but legally binding contract named the Family Support Agreement, to guarantee their care. However, many countries have no such legal provisions. The United Kingdom had such a law from 1601 to 1967.
Throughout human history the elderly have often needed the support of others to survive, and this usually meant their children caring for them once they were unable to provide for themselves. Relatively few people have ever been wealthy enough to save for a secure retirement, and the idea of state pensions for the elderly did not arrive until the late 19th century. Even now old-age pensions are only available in more economically developed countries and are often very small, so that elderly people without savings or children to help them have to live in poverty. In most countries in the world, there is not even such limited state support and most older citizens are dependent on the goodwill of their children. But many countries have no way of enforcing a child’s moral obligation to care for their parents in old age. Parents are compelled by law to maintain their children and states do not rely solely on morals to guarantee the good treatment of children by their parents. But a son or daughter without a sense of moral obligation to support his or her parents may have no legal obligation to do so. Demographic and social changes have led to transformations in traditional familial ties, values and obligations. Many countries have a predominantly aging population, which puts a great strain on the social welfare system and the economy. Also, when reaching the last years of their life, many elderly people find themselves alone and living in poverty, having failed or been unable to save money for their retirement. For decades India, Israel and Taiwan have had laws to enforce the obligation to support one's parents. A dozen American states, among them California and Illinois, have some sort of civil law provision for parents and grandparents to sue descendants for support. In China parents can ask their adult children to sign a new voluntary but legally binding contract named the Family Support Agreement, to guarantee their care. However, many countries have no such legal provisions. The United Kingdom had such a law from 1601 to 1967.
