ACROSS the world, political leaders speak of renewal, resurgence and even a new “golden age.” Trade blocs are forming, alliances and supply chains are being reorganized and tariffs and industrial policy have returned as instruments of strategic competition. The message is clear: geopolitical realignment will restore economic strength.

Yet this expectation rests on an incomplete foundation. A golden age is not a historical period to be recreated; it is a benchmark—the condition in which social mobility is real and measurable. It exists when ordinary families can move from economic insecurity toward stability within a generation: securing housing without surrendering a disproportionate share of income, accessing education without crippling debt, obtaining healthcare without fear of financial ruin, maintaining reliable transport and retaining disposable income to save and invest.

In this sense, a golden age is not nostalgia but a test of accountable public leadership. Social mobility depends on institutions that align........

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