Structural time bias undermines intergenerational equity in U.S. policy design
Original framing: “Americans care more about future generations than many think—and that gap could matter for policy” — Phys.org
Indigenous communities often have governance systems that consider the impact of decisions on future generations, such as the Haudenosaunee's Great Law of Peace, which emphasizes seven-generation planning. These systems offer a contrast to Western political structures that prioritize immediate electoral cycles and short-term economic gains.
The systemic failure to consider future generations in policy is not due to public apathy but to structural incentives that favor short-term gains.
Indigenous and cross-cultural models offer alternative frameworks for intergenerational governance, while scientific and artistic perspectives highlight the ethical and practical necessity of long-term thinking. To move forward, we must reform financial and political systems to align with intergenerational ethics, ensuring that policy decisions today do not compromise the well-being of future generations. This requires not only institutional change but also a cultural shift toward valuing continuity and responsibility across time.