The Evolution of Retirement – An American Economic History, 1880–1990 : An American Economic History, 1880-1990

This is a comprehensive economic history of retirement in America. With life expectancy increasing, the retirement rate of men over age 64 has risen. The author looks at factors underlying this increase and shows the dramatic implications of findings for the general public and the US government.

Winner of the 1998 Paul A. Samuelson Award given by TIAA-CREF, The Evolution of Retirement is the first comprehensive economic history of retirement in America. With life expectancies steadily increasing, the retirement rate of men over age 64 has risen drastically. Dora L. Costa looks at factors underlying this increase and shows the dramatic implications of her findings for both the general public and the U.S. government. Using statistical, and demographic concepts, Costa sheds light on such important topics as rising incomes and retirement, work and disease, the job prospects of older workers, living arrangements of the elderly, the development of a retirement lifestyle, and pensions and politics. "[Costa's] major contribution is to show that, even without Social Security and Medicare, retirement would have expanded dramatically."—Robert J. Samuelson, New Republic"An important book on a topic which has become popular with historians and is of major significance to politicians and economists."—Margaret Walsh, Business History