Abstract
The Malthusian Catastrophe describes a world in which unchecked population growth outstrips the resources needed for survival. Malthus’ theory reverberates in the current debate over the economic consequences of population aging. As American society faces turbulent socio-economic changes there is resurgence of unease over the increasing number of older adults. The Malthusian Catastrophe has become a Methusian Catastrophe. Some predict the eventual bankruptcy of social systems as the growing number of older adults disrupts the dependency ratio and bleeds the economy dry at the expense of others, notably children and young, working adults. Pitting older adults against younger individuals creates a zero-sum fallacy, and may further marginalize vulnerable older adults. Instead of scapegoating older adults, we should look towards policies that acknowledge and respect the diversity of the American population.
Highlights
The current debate over the economic consequences of population aging is waging in the United States of America
Societies wrought by angst over an uncertain future often look towards specific populations as the cause of their woes, leading to a phenomenon described as ‘alarmist demography’ [1] or ‘apocalyptic demography’ [2,3]
In the early 1900’s, as American society faced enormous social and economic upheaval, the American people railed against the perceived threats of fertility and migration in ‘undesirable’ populations [4,5]
Summary
The current debate over the economic consequences of population aging is waging in the United States of America. Some argue that the number of older adults will bankrupt the social system and bleed the economy dry. Others argue that older adults should not be targeted and victimized in this debate
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
