The Gerontocracy Problem: Samuel Moyn

June 11th, 2026

”Gerontocracy is  hardwired into our culture.”

We discuss  the overlooked and insidious complications from gerontocracy in American democracy.

Samuel Moyn is the Kent Professor of Law and History at Yale University, the cohost of the Digging a Hole podcast, and the author of Gerontocracy in America: How the Old Are Hoarding Power and Wealth – and What to Do About It.

Your civic action toolkit recommendations from Sam are:

1. Think of democracy as a political form for transient human beings

2. Evangelize one of these ideas: age quotas, tax code reform, or campaign finance reform

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https://x.com/milaatmos

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https://x.com/samuelmoyn

Read Gerontocracy in America: 

https://bookshop.org/shop/futurehindsight

Early episodes for Patreon supporters:

https://patreon.com/futurehindsight

Credits:

Host: Mila Atmos 

Guest: Samuel Moyn

Executive Producer: Zack Travis

Executive Editor: Mila Atmos