Major Industrial Nations Unprepared for Coming Population Aging and Labour Shortage

DAVOS, Switzerland, January 28, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A new report by the World Economic Forum in partnership with Watson Wyatt Worldwide has once again confirmed the coming population crisis that is to affect industrialized nations. The International Pension Readiness Report, released in time for the January 21-25, 2004 World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, underscores the disastrous effect that falling fertility rates are having throughout most of the world. Although a world-wide phenomenon, low fertility rates and a consequent decrease in labour force growth are especially alarming among industrialized nations.

Whereas the South-East Asia and Indian labour force will continue to grow in the next 30 years, the EU will see a decline in the labour force population from 208.7 million in 2000 to 151.2 million in 2050. During the same period, meanwhile, the number of people over the age of 60 in the EU will climb from 82.1 million to 125.1 million. Japan, with one of the world's lowest fertility rates, would have to increase its immigration rate 11-fold in order to maintain its labour force population.

The pension systems of the major industrialized nations will also be undermined, as a decimated labour force population combined with increased numbers of retirees cripples the countries' ability to afford pensions. For example, active workers in Italy will be outnumbered by retirees by 2030.

As for economic productivity, the EU's share of total global output will shrink by nearly half from today's 18 percent to ten percent in 2050, whereas Japan's share would decline by half from eight percent to four percent in the same period.

Richard Samans of the World Economic Forum said that "Economic output is determined by labour force growth and productivity rates. In countries with significant projected labour shortages, the supply of goods and services may not meet demand and standards of living."

Some of the solutions proposed in the report include: increased immigration; an extension of the retirement age; encouraging more women and younger workers to enter the workplace; and the export of capital and labour to other parts of the world where there are larger labour forces.

Sadly, no suggestion is made for incentives to encourage couples to have larger families. Nor is the abortion issue mentioned. In Canada alone since 1970, enough children have been killed through abortion to populate the city of Toronto. This figure does not take into account the much larger number of chemical and intrauterine abortions induced through the birth control pill (also an abortifacient) and intrauterine devices.

Sylvester Schieber, director of research at Watson Wyatt and co-author of the report, said that "[These] demographic changes present enormous challenges for developed countries."

See the detailed, full Watson Wyatt report at http://www.watsonwyatt.com/news/featured/wef/

Read the related LifeSiteNews.com coverage of one incentive for an increased birth rate in Italy at: http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2003/dec/03120307.html

Also read the related LifeSiteNews.com newsbyte which reveals that the number of people age 65 and older in the world has more than tripled over the past half-century at: http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2001/dec/011217.html

I've never blamed GWB for our declining birth rate. Now I'm asking myself why you would accuse me of making such an accusation. Besides - the declining birth rate is not the reason people are swarming over the border. They are swarming over the border because they want to do so, and because we don't have proper immigration controls to stop them.

I am the product of immigrants also. My grandparents were from German and Holland and Ireland, and one thing I can remember is that they all spoke English although not one of them was born in an English speaking home. I know they struggled, and that the immigration rules in place at that time probably made it even harder. But they all came here legally and under a very specific set of rules.
As for needing immigrants to fill these positions, there may be some truth here. However, that still doesn't mean we should accept with open arms anyone who takes it upon him or herself to come here.

Let me lay out my position in a set of steps. In return, you can tell me which of these positions, or steps, you disagree with.

1) This is our country - it belongs to us, the citizens. It does not belong to citizens of another country.

2) It is our right, as citizens of this country, to pick and choose who we wish to allow to come here - for whatever reason we decide.

3) It is our right to insist that visitors to our country not be criminals. We have enough problem with home-grown criminals, and we have no need to import more of them.

4) We have the right to insist that visitors to our country be willing to assimilate; that is, do their best to join with us and become one with us, as opposed to maintaining their old culture. Why would we wish them to import and transplant problems from their country of origin?

5) We should have the right to control the number of visitors we choose to accept. This means we should not be subjected to an uncontrolled flood of invaders. It is in our (citizens) best interest to limit the number of immigrants in order to assure assimilation and limit the negative impact on our society.

6) We have the right to control immigration by country of origin and set rules to prevent any one culture from dominating the immigration numbers. We have the right to take actions necessary to ensure our home will not become "North Mexico" or "North Aztlan"

Like I said, feel free to voice your objection to any of the points above. Im interested in seeing on what grounds someone can object to control of this ongoing invasion.

In summary, you can easily see how I feel by comparing this country to your own home. To me, my country is an extension of my home.

I would object to any visitor (including my parents or brothers) telling me that he had a right to enter my home any time he wanted. I would object to a visitor telling me he had the right to make the rules in my home - as opposed to him living by my rules and customs. I would object to a visitor, especially an uninvited visitor, telling me that I had to change to accommodate his wishes. I would object to a visitor in my home telling me I was prejudiced or racist because I objected to him doing things his way, instead of my way.

Tell me the truth - does it irritates you when I refer to the USA as "my home"? Does it bother you that I feel as if this country belongs to me and that I have the right to set the rules for foreign visitors?

"Now I'm asking myself why you would accuse me of making such an accusation."

Because you responded to a post about the relation between the declining birth rate, and the current issue of immigration, and how Bush was handling it, by questioning why Bush would put us in such a situation.

Bush has not put the nation in any situation, he's trying to deal with the situation he was handed.

"...and one thing I can remember is that they all spoke English."

You missed the word "eventually", right before "they all spoke English."

"We have the right to insist that visitors to our country be willing to assimilate; that is, do their best to join with us and become one with us, as opposed to maintaining their old culture."

This from the product of those famous assimilators that still, to this day, celebrate St. Patrick's Day and Oktoberfest?

Let me put things in perspective for you, assimilation is a generational process...always has been. The first generation immigrant learns to exist in an unfamiliar world, but by the third generation, the world of the first immigrant is an alien land to his descendants. Here's a bit more perspective for you:

"I am perfectly of your mind, that measures of great Temper are necessary with the Germans: and am not without Apprehensions, that thro' their indiscretion or Ours, or both, great disorders and inconveniences may one day arise among us; Those who come hither are generally of the most ignorant Stupid Sort of their own Nation, and as Ignorance is often attended with Credulity when Knavery would mislead it, and with Suspicion when Honesty would set it right; and as few of the English understand the German Language, and so cannot address them either from the Press or Pulpit, 'tis almost impossible to remove any prejudices they once entertain. Their own Clergy have very little influence over the people; who seem to take an uncommon pleasure in abusing and discharging the Minister on every trivial occasion. Not being used to Liberty, they know not how to make a modest use of it; and as Kolben says of the young Hottentots, that they are not esteemed men till they have shewn their manhood by beating their mothers, so these seem to think themselves not free, till they can feel their liberty in abusing and insulting their Teachers. Thus they are under no restraint of Ecclesiastical Government; They behave, however, submissively enough at present to the Civil Government which I wish they may continue to do: For I remember when they modestly declined intermeddling in our Elections, but now they come in droves, and carry all before them, except in one or two Counties; Few of their children in the Country learn English; they import many Books from Germany; and of the six printing houses in the Province, two are entirely German, two half German half English, and but two entirely English; They have one German News-paper, and one half German. Advertisements intended to be general are now printed in Dutch and English; the Signs in our Streets have inscriptions in both languages, and in some places only German: They begin of late to make all their Bonds nad other legal Writings in their own Language, which (though I think it ought not to be) are allowed good in our Courts, where the German Business so encreases that there is continual need of Interpreters; and I suppose in a few years they will be also necessary in the Assembly, to tell one half of our Legislators what the other half say; In short unless the stream of their importation could be turned from this to other colonies, as you very judiciously propose, they will soon so out number us, that all the advantages we have will not in My Opinion be able to preserve our language, and even our Government will become precarious." -- Source

All immigrants assimilate, it's unpreventable.

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