Answer to Question #173285 in Sociology for Prince Wons

Question

With relevant practical example, discuss impact of an aging population on the socio- economic development of any Nation.

Answer 1

The impact of population aging is enormous and multifaceted i.e., deteriorating fiscal balance, changes in patterns of saving and investment, shortage in labor supply, lack of adequate welfare system, particular in developing economies, a possible decline in productivity and economic growth, and ineffectiveness of macroeconomic policy.

Increase in the dependency ratio. If the retirement age remains fixed, and the life expectancy increases, there will be relatively more people claiming pension benefits and fewer people working and paying income taxes. The fear is that it will require high tax rates on the current, shrinking workforce.

Increased government spending on health care and pensions. Also, those in retirement tend to pay lower income taxes because they are not working. This combination of higher spending commitments and lower tax revenue is a source of concern for Western governments – especially those with existing debt issues and unfunded pension schemes