As Populations Age Worldwide, How Should Countries Respond?

People in the developed world are getting older and having fewer kids, demographic data shows, raising questions about how governments and societies will adapt in the coming decades. 

The Details: According to a weekend analysis from The New York Times (Lean Left bias), “By 2050, people age 65 and older will make up nearly 40 percent of the population in some parts of East Asia and Europe.” While countries like China will have to figure out how to support an elderly population, others in India and Sub-Saharan Africa will see booms in young and working-age people. 

For Context: The world’s changing demographics cause many of today’s most contentious political issues. Retirement savings programs, burdened with supporting more seniors with income from fewer working-age adults, have spurred debate in the U.S. and riots in France. A swell of young people from less-developed countries is migrating to developed regions like Europe and the U.S.

How the Media Covered It: Right-rated outlets appeared much less likely to analyze demographic data, instead highlighting opinions supporting higher birthrates in the U.S. Coverage in left-rated outlets often appeared more comfortable with slower population growth but generally matched coverage from the center in describing the issue as an economic and geopolitical shift.