I frequently post on the demographic
crisis facing the world's developed nations. As many of us know, there simply are not enough
children being born to replace those who are at the far end of life's journey. This means that baby boomers who are about to retire and experience the years that cost governments substantial investments in health care and social entitlement programs will have fewer and fewer
workers supporting them.
Denmark is a case in point. Here is a graph showing Denmark's birthrate
since 1970:
In 2011, Denmark's birthrate
dropped to a 30 year low of 10.6 births per 1000 people.
For comparison, here is a look at the United States birthrate
since 1970:
The trend looks fairly similar,
doesn't it? In 2011, America's birthrate dropped to a 40 year low of 12.7
births per 1000 people.
In contrast, here is a look at Indonesia's birthrate since
1970:
While Indonesia's birthrate
has fallen from a rather stunning 41 births per 1000 people in the early 1970s,
it is still well above the rates in the developed world, coming in at 19.63
births per 1000 people in 2011.
So, what is to be done about this
problem? Denmark seems to have the answer as shown on this video:
This novel promotion was launched by
the Spies
Travel Agency in Denmark. The video notes two important factors working in favour of an increased birthrate; first, that Danes have 46 percent more
sex when on holiday and second, that 10 percent of Danish children are conceived
abroad. If couples conceive abroad, they win a three-year supply of baby
goodies and a child-friendly holiday on top of the fun that they already had!
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Very good video. Those danes have a healthy view of things.
ReplyDeleteSo sometimes were told the earth can't sustain an ever increasing world population, and other times were told decreasing birth rates and an aging population is bad for everything.
So what's the answer, redistribute and balance the population or redistribute and balance everything else, like wealth, food, water, etc.?
Speaking as one who is "nearing the end of life's journey", this phraseology which I often hear, that there are fewer and fewer workers to support me, is a little odd. You count all the past payments I made when I was working with the intent of supporting myself later as, instead, supporting those retired back then when I made the payments. Right? I get no credit for supporting myself with past SS tax and pension contributions.
ReplyDeleteAnd you also discount all the income and other taxes I still pay, even though I'm no longer a worker, some of which presumably go to supporting other retirees.
So, it's not just current workers who support current retirees.
Good point indeed. I am in your camp. I recall starting 'involuntary' contributions at a very young age and kept it up to my mid 60s. Now I read the very same that crosses your path. I ask the same question, what have they done with our investments over all of these years when it is now pay back time and not on the 'dime' of the younger generation? I guess they have absconded with the investments haven't they?
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