Demographie und Demagogie

Mythen und Fakten zur „demographischen Katastrophe“

Abstract

In recent years population forecasts receive increasing interest. Extreme scenarios are frequently misused to serve political interests. However, especially long-term forecasts contain substantial uncertainties. The main focus of this article is on the myth of an impending labour shortage induced by demographic change. As shown, the main challenge for the labour market – even in the long run – will not be a decreasing but an ageing workforce. Coping with such labour market trends requires greater efforts in strengthening „employability“.