SPECIAL SERIES
Old World
Old World, available exclusively from Project Syndicate, focuses leading economic, political, and scientific minds on what may be the most far-reaching question of our time: What will a significantly older world look like socially, economically, politically, and – perhaps most importantly to aging people – medically?
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The Shrinking North
Pierre Buhler Series: Old World 2011-11-02“Demography is destiny,” Auguste Comte is reported to have said. Today, his maxim appears to encapsulate the fate of a number of the world’s richest countries. Indeed, the United Nations Population Division’s recently released biennial World Population Prospects sheds new light on the debate – ongoing for over a decade – about the consequences of low fertility rates in many developed countries. And while the UN figures do not provide evidence that proves the grimmest forecasts of doomsayers, nor do they leave much room for optimism.... read Comments: 2 Recommended: 0 Read: 9358
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The New Old Generation Gap
Edoardo Campanella Series: Old World 2011-10-19The willingness to embrace change represents one of the main differences between affluent, aging societies and poor, younger ones. If this sounds audacious, compare what has happened in Europe and North Africa over the last several months.... read Comments: 3 Recommended: 0 Read: 2097
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Aging Before Affluence in China
Fang Cai Series: Old World 2011-10-19Population aging is a universal law of economic development and its accompanying social transformation. But China is unique, because it has arrived at a late stage of demographic transition at a relatively early stage of economic development.... read Comments: 0 Recommended: 1 Read: 2951
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States of Gray
John Hutton Series: Old World 2011-10-19Current final-salary schemes are not suitable – or sustainable – for a modern workforce that will continue to enjoy rising life expectancy. In the UK, public-service pensioners who stop working at 60 can expect to spend about 40-45%, compared to about one-third for such pensioners in the 1980’s.... read Comments: 0 Recommended: 0 Read: 2075
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From Bismarck to Bankruptcy?
Harold James Series: Old World 2011-10-19The modern welfare state was created by Germany's "Iron Chancellor," Otto von Bismarck, who in the 1880’s introduced sickness, accident, and old-age insurance. More than a century later, the problems associated with Bismarck's original plan remain our own.... read Comments: 1 Recommended: 0 Read: 2522
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Aging, the Final Frontier
Cynthia Kenyon Series: Old World 2011-10-19One might think that many genes would have to be changed in order to extend our lifespans – genes affecting muscle strength, wrinkles, dementia, and so forth. But research on worms and mice has found something quite surprising: there are certain genes whose alteration can slow the aging of the whole animal all at once.... read Comments: 0 Recommended: 2 Read: 2126
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Fiscal Child Abuse
Laurence Kotlikoff Series: Old World 2011-10-19The Bible enjoins us to do better unto our children than we would do unto ourselves: “From generation to generation.” But, in much of the developed world, our economic faith for the past six decades has been quite different: “Taketh from the young and giveth to the old.“... read Comments: 2 Recommended: 0 Read: 2011
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Managing Longer Lives
James W. Vaupel and Björn Schwentker Series: Old World 2011-10-19People in most countries today are living longer in good health than ever before. But, with life expectancy rising by 2.5 years every decade, societies must adapt their educational systems and employment policies to meet the new needs and desires of people who can look forward to lifespans of a century or more.... read Comments: 0 Recommended: 0 Read: 1843
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Alzheimer’s at the Crossroads
Bengt Winblad and Alina Solomon Series: Old World 2011-10-19Unfortunately, no cure for Alzeheimer's disease is at hand. But increased collaboration between pharmaceutical companies, basic researchers, and clinical researchers can bring us closer to developing an optimum treatment, as well as effective prevention strategies.... read Comments: 0 Recommended: 0 Read: 2018
