The overall demographic aging of society and deciding how to provide for the elderly are some of the most important themes of modern social politics. This volume represents a profound exposition of the historical development of these problems. One of the central themes of modern social politics is the question of how to maintain social justice in an aging society. Cornelius Torp looks at the relationship between social inequality, perceptions of social justice, and institutions of the welfare state. He describes the many reforms that were enacted in Germany and Great Britain since the end of World War II. This volume represents a well-founded and analytical examination of the socio-theoretical background as well as a look at the social history of aging.