Dr. Eliza Philby

So we're not talking about a global phenomenon here, right?

That's really important.

It's that generation born after the Second World War had the advantages and also the struggles, let's not forget, of that post-war period.

But there is an exceptional and phenomenal period of great social mobility and wealth.

So in that generation were the key beneficiaries of that.

So they had access to widening education, of course.

They had access to, particularly in the US, the opening up of the college degree and greater accessibility.

So the best educated generation in history that had access to

the professions at a time when there wasn't the globalization of professions.

So if you were a college educated baby boomer who went into the professions and bought a house and got a really good pension and were quite savvy with your money, you've got a lot to pass down.

So that trajectory, right?

And let's remember, we're not talking about all baby boomers.

We're talking about, you know, but quite a

fair chunk of them experienced that period of meritocracy.

I would say from really 1945 to 1979, you know, that the Thatcher and Reagan and the sort of neoliberal push is a different story, and they benefited from that.

But let's be clear, there was a widening of participation in education, greater access for women and men,

And then you had this massive explosion of assets and investments in the 1980s.

And that has benefited them ever since.

And so you've got the democratization of property owning, property ownership and investments.

And so the wealth, the access to opportunity