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Balancing instrumental rationality with value rationality: towards avoiding the pitfalls of the productivist ageing policy in the EU and the UK

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Abstract

The current dominant approach to active ageing policy in the EU and the UK is the productivist approach. Drawing on Weber’s concepts of instrumental rationality and value rationality, this article argues that this approach is principally informed by instrumental rationality and thus has the potential to instrumentalize older persons, to become an oppressive ideological narrative, and to ignore the unique developmental meanings in late life. To avoid these pitfalls, the article proposes balancing instrumental rationality with value rationality. The balancing can occur in three dimensions. First, the value of internally oriented activities for late life should be recognized. Second, the value of participatory policy development needs to be upheld. Third, the value of meaning-in-life for the well-being and growth of older adults should be validated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Development, Xihua University, No. 9999, Hongguang Avenue, Pidu District, Chengdu, 610039, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China

    Jianbin Xu

  2. Research Institute of Social Development, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, No. 555, Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China

    Longtao He

  3. College of Foreign Languages, Huaqiao University, Quanzhou, 362021, Fujian, People’s Republic of China

    Henghan Chen

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  1. Jianbin Xu
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  2. Longtao He
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Correspondence to Longtao He.

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Xu, J., He, L. & Chen, H. Balancing instrumental rationality with value rationality: towards avoiding the pitfalls of the productivist ageing policy in the EU and the UK. Eur J Ageing 17, 251–257 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-019-00527-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-019-00527-9

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