One of the main roles of government is wealth redistribution. In the U.S., the single largest group to benefit from wealth redistribution is the elderly; however, Fortune cites a paper from the Brookings Institute, stating that the elderly are one of the two groups that “have most moved against income redistribution” since 1978. The study claims that on the surface 40% of this is actual in their self-interest (being unconvinced that things like universal healthcare won’t disrupt Medicare) — but that still leaves 60% of the vote going against their self interest. Perhaps the elderly are just a little more altruistic than the rest of the population.
