Description
Book SynopsisThe major industrialized countries are undergoing a significant demographic transition associated with low fertility rates combined with reduced mortality rates. A major consequence of the current transition is that populations are expected to age substantially over the next forty years. This innovative book studies the effects of population ageing with the associated factor of immigration, on social expenditure and public finance.
The authors begin by providing an introduction to some of the main issues concerning population ageing and migration. This is followed by a discussion of the demographic and economic aspects of the transition towards an older population which is taking place in the major industrialized countries. Within this framework the impacts of ageing on government budgets and the labour market are analysed. The book then turns to a discussion of some of the economic, social and demographic issues related to immigration. Particular emphasis is placed on the Australian economy, which provides an interesting case study in view of its high immigration levels, particularly over the last fifty years. The authors project population structure and social expenditure patterns under a variety of assumptions concerning the number and composition of immigrants. The quantitative techniques developed to produce these projections can be applied without modification to any other country.
Population Ageing, Migration and Social Expenditure will be of use to academics and students with an interest in public finance, public policy and population studies.
Trade Review'. . . the study has been useful for its exploration of the effect of decomposition and issues such as social expenditure and the ratio of social expenditure to GDP. The ideas for the research were commendable, the literature review with its examples from other countries was most revealing, and the economic skills of the authors were clearly evident.'Table of ContentsContents: Part I: Introduction Part II: Population Ageing and Migration Part III: Population Decomposition Part IV: Population and Expenditure Projections Index
