EUROPEAN PAPERS ON THE NEW WELFARE

After near 2 year collaboration in “European papers on the new welfare” I cannot but signify my enthusiasm for the idea of counter-ageing. Indeed ageing, in its present size and connotation, is a new reality in the developed part of the world, lasting not more than 50 years as a result of industrialization, urbanization, better physical conditions, i.e. technological progress. Read More

1. Introduction

China is about to undergo a stunning demographic transformation. Today, China is still a young society. In 2004, the elderly — here defined as adults aged 60 and over — make up just 11% of the population. By 2040, however, the UN projects that the share will rise to 28%, a larger elder share than it projects for the United States² (see Fig. 1). In absolute numbers, the magnitude of China’s coming age wave is staggering. By 2040, assuming current demographic trends continue, there will be 397 million Chinese elders, which is more than the total current population of France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom combined.
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1. Older workers and unemployed under strain

The situation in the Croatian economy is characterized by a GDP per capita of around 5000 to 6000 USD, modest economic growth of 4% per year, a large number (over one million) of retired people and an unemployment rate around 20%. In this environment the most vulnerable groups would appear to be the unemployed and retirees with low pensions. The government as well as many independent institutions and economists are proposing different plans and ideas, which would help speed up economic growth and improve living standards in the country. One such idea is the project of gradual retirement.
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1. Demographic transition

Barely 20 years ago the world was confronted with a population explosion. Now we witness a more complex phenomenon: while in some countries population is exponentially increasing resulting in an age distribution where the majority are younger than 25, in most of the developed countries the fertility rate has dropped to about 1.5 (considerably lower than the replacement level of 2.1) and the life expectancy has increased resulting in the number of persons older than 60 becoming greater than the number of those under 25.
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