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If they lived to retirement age.

Life expectancy of a 35 year old male in the 1920s was about 67, for a woman 68. It's about a decade more now. Source (expressed as years of survival): http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0005140.html

And as I recall, promises of life-long employment hit a bit of a reef in the late 1920s.

That said, yes, we've exchanged greater life expectancy for much reduced employer loyalty.



Keep in mind there was no social security in 1922. And life expectancy actually hasn't risen that much among the poorer classes, eg see http://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/workingpapers/wp108.html

Money has lead to health and prosperity for more, but the poor remain in the lot of our ancestors.




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