Boomers: A Generation Favored by a System That No Longer Stands

Introduction

For decades, the “baby boomers” (born between 1946 and 1964) rode a wave of unprecedented economic prosperity. Affordable housing, stable jobs, rising wages, generous pensions— they benefited from a post-war system built to last… but today, it’s falling apart.The uncomfortable question: is it a coincidence that the next generations are struggling, while boomers still enjoy social and financial advantages that are almost impossible for young people today?

A comparison of housing prices shows a brick house in the 1960s listed at 50,000 francs, while a modern home today is on the market for 320,000 euros, illustrating the evolution of real estate value over time.

1. The Real Estate Jackpot

• Boomers bought houses in the 70s and 80s at ridiculously low prices.

• Example: a home worth 50,000 francs in the 70s is now selling for €300,000+.

• Their wealth multiplied 20–30x with little effort.Meanwhile, younger generations are forced into 25–30 year mortgages, with higher rates and salaries that don’t keep up with housing prices.

2. The Golden Age of Jobs

• Permanent contracts (CDIs) almost guaranteed.

• Economic growth and near full employment.

• Careers were linear: stay at one company for 20 years, climb the ladder.Today?

• Precarious contracts, forced freelancing, structural unemployment.

• Stability is now a rare luxury.

Contrasting Eras: From the predictability of traditional office work to the uncertainties of the modern digital workspace.

3. Pensions: The Big Injustice

• Boomers retired (or are retiring) with pensions calculated on their best 25 years (sometimes best 10 before reforms).

• Often higher than today’s graduate salaries.

• For Gen X, Y, Z: retirement age pushed back, lower payouts, uncertainty everywhere.

Elderly man deep in thought on an urban street, representing the contemplative nature often associated with the baby boomer generation.

4. A Debt Left Behind

Boomers enjoyed a generous welfare state financed by public debt… now exploding.

• They received, but who’s paying? Future generations.

• Result: higher taxes, weaker public services, healthcare and education under strain.

An elderly man hands over a stack of money to a younger man, capturing the emotional weight of financial burdens passed down through generations.

5. Blame or Understand?

⚠️ Important: this is not a generational war. Boomers didn’t “steal” their comfort—they simply benefited from a unique historical context (post-war growth, state protection, booming demography).But the truth is: the system that supported them is no longer sustainable.

Team discussion on implementing new rules, with a focus on understanding generational perspectives.

Conclusion: And Now?

The system is breaking. Younger generations cannot expect the same path:

• Housing unaffordable,

• Work unstable,

• Retirement uncertain,

• Debt piling up.

The real question is not to complain, but to reinvent the model. Generations X, Y, Z must learn to create value differently: entrepreneurship, smart investing, financial independence.Because counting on the system… is already too late.

Boomers played by rules that no longer exist. It’s up to us to write the new rulebook.