"Note that the article makes a crucial assumption: That all those unfounded future liabilities (most of which are pensions etc. I assume) of governments are fix

"Note that the article makes a crucial assumption: That all those unfounded future liabilities (most of which are pensions etc. I assume) of governments are fixed and cannot be changed. This isn't true, though: By changing the law, those unfounded liabilities can be erased at the stroke of a pen." Ultimately this becomes fight between funding the liabilities (taxing the rich once again) and eliminating the liabilities (screwing the poor pensioners). No politicians intent on slashing pensions would ever admit that it's a choice, though, just as they wouldn't admit that it was a choice to make the liabilities unfunded in the first place. That's why consent for these policies must be manufactured, which in turn is why this article exists - to foment intergenerational strife.