3/2/2014 – Why aging is scary for economies (USA Today)

giant panorama of a Chinese factory, taken in 2005 by Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky, hangs in my dining room. Thousands of young workers fill an endless factory floor. Guests to my house stare at it, awestruck. It captures what is perhaps one of the scariest features of the Chinese economy: its ability to mobilize a seemingly infinite pool of young workers to make everything the world wants.

Americans are right to notice the age of the Chinese workforce. Economies that compete for world market share are now competing for a demographic edge, too. Young workforces help keep the countries competitive. The U.S. workforce is younger than other industrialized countries, and America’s ability to replenish our workforce keeps us sharp.

Read the full article at USA Today.