In this important and timely book, researchers from different countries compare their experiences and offer contrasting views on the future of social protection. They consider the theoretical aspects of the intergenerational debate, relations between generations within the family, the living standards of elderly people, and the question of social time. For the first time in history, three and sometimes four generations are living at the same time; this book examines the new interactions between family change, labour force participation and population ageing.