1. Population Change in Europe
Slow Growth…
Fast Growth…
NO Growth!

2. Overview – The United States
Before 1750: Stage 1 (slow growth)
Plagues, famines, wars
1750s  1900: Stage 2 (rapid growth)
Better sanitation, health care, food supplies
1900  2000: Stage 3 (slow growth)
Urbanization
2000  Present: Stage 4 (no/negative growth)

3. Negative growth presents three significant problems:
Shrinking Population
Aging Population
Declining Workforce
France’s fertility rate has been rising since the 1990s but is still below the replacement rate!

4. Problem1: Shrinking Population
Causes
Women – want education, jobs, wait until older to have kids, contraception widespread
$ - high cost of living usually requires 2 incomes
Childcare – if both parents work
Results
Job loss (short term) – for people who work with children or in child-related industries
Labor shortages (long term)
Smaller military (long term)  decline in power/influence

5. Italy’s Population Pyramids

6. Solutions to Shrinking Population
Cash & Benefits
Incentives for larger families
Government assistance for daycare
Family-Friendly Policies for Parents
Paid leave from work
Flexible work hours/right to work part-time

7. Problem 2: Aging Population
Causes
Life expectancy ↑
Birth Rate ↓
Baby Boom after WWII
Results
Pensions
Health Care
Most European governments provide these using tax revenues

9. Solutions to an Aging Population
Pensions
Cut pensions – unfair
Raise retirement age
Offer bonus to delay retirement
Health Care
Prevention vs. treatment
Home care vs. nursing homes
Incentives to care for elderly relatives at home

10. Problem 3: Declining Workforce
Causes
Retirees > new workers
Results
Shortage of skilled workers
Businesses may leave or close
Economy may ↓
Less tax revenue

11. Solutions to a Declining Workforce
Keep older workers working longer
Encourage more women to work through family-friendly policies
Look for workers outside of Europe
Encourage immigration – may create more problems than it solves