New York Times (April 6)
“In reality, slower population growth creates enormous possibilities for human flourishing.” Japan may be at the forefront of graying societies, but the nation is hardly alone. Most developed countries are already shrinking. Many developing countries, like China, are soon forecast to contract. This is fueling “dark prophecies” and causing alarm over the future. It shouldn’t. “Population doom of one kind or another is a recurring fad. Like most fads, this one can be safely ignored. Humanity has many legitimate problems to worry about. Falling fertility is not one of them.”
Tags: Alarm, China, Dark prophecies, Developing countries, Doom, Fad, Fertility, Future, Graying, Humanity, Japan, Population growth, Possibilities, Reality
Wall Street Journal (March 11)
Japan may be at the leading edge, but population graying is a truly global phenomenon requiring new approaches. “As the over-60 population grows much faster than the younger working-age cohorts, while life expectancy increases, the 20th-century model of work and retirement becomes increasingly unsuitable for economic growth. The key will be finding new solutions to engage older Americans in the workforce.”
Tags: Economic growth, Engage, Graying, Japan, Life expectancy, Over-60, Population, Retirement, Solutions, U.S., Unsuitable, Work, Workforce, Working-age
Bloomberg (January 5, 2012)
“The vanguard of a looming demographic shift” is beginning in China. In 2009, there were already 178 million Chinese over 60. By 2050, “that figure could reach 437 million—one third of the population.” Caring for them is expected to place an increasing burden on the state. This graying of the population resembles Japan, but brings a much larger challenge: “China will grow old before it gets rich.”
Tags: Aging society, China, Demographics, Graying, Japan
