[lit-ideas] Growing Old the Hard Way: China, Russia, India

From: "Lawrence Helm" <lawrencehelm@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2006 13:23:52 -0700

Policy Review is one of the journals I subscribe to and the current issue
has an excellent article on aging.  Fortunately this is one of the articles
they make available on their web site:
http://www.policyreview.org/136/eberstadt.html  

 

The article is long, but inasmuch as Omar and I may be about to discuss
China, I was especially interested in the section on China's aging problem.
Their problem is of course exacerbated by their decision to reduce the
Chinese birthrate.  In the past the sons took care of the aged, but
increasing numbers of Chinese will not have sons available to do so.  Lower
wages, education levels, and poorer general health than in developed
countries mean that huge numbers of aged Chinese will have to fend for
themselves, taking on low paying physically demanding jobs that they are
ill-equipped to perform.

 

Thus, while China as Europe looks down upon the crass materialistic society
of America, they are increasingly ill-equipped to provide the entitlements
that help them to feel superior.

 

Lawrence

Follow-Ups:
- [lit-ideas] Re: Growing Old the Hard Way: China, Russia, India
  - From: Phil Enns
- [lit-ideas] Re: Growing Old the Hard Way: China, Russia, India
  - From: Judith Evans

[lit-ideas] Growing Old the Hard Way: China, Russia, India

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