The consequences of demographic change and the burden on families due to the structural insensitivities of social conditions are long-neglected challenges that will shape the political agenda in the Federal Republic in the coming decade. The author was one of the first to bring these topics into scientific discussion. His analyses, published here for the first time in context from four decades, are further contributions to a deeper understanding of current issues, including demographic aging, the structural change of marriage and family, family policy, intergenerational relationships, and the welfare state.