Women in the older half of the working ages are primarily women whose children are grown. Large numbers of midlife women may see both an opportunity to participate fully in the economy and a need to make up for lost time in building resources to support them in old age. With an estimated one marriage in two ending in divorce, women may feel it prudent to build their own nest egg and not count on a husband's support in retirement. More women in the labor force now are contributing to pension plans, and recent estimates from the Social Security Administration show that within a few years, a majority of married women will do better claiming benefits on their own account than as part of a couple. Overall, the U.S. population will experience the effects of the globalizing world economy, and contribute to them.
Recent immigrants have new opportunities to retain and even profit from ties at home.
The growth of the computer software industry in India via American entrepreneurs from that country is a prime example. In that sense, the broad diversity of the population offers the United States a favored position in such an economic world. 95 Such diversity has obvious economic benefits, but it also offers a new test for the nation's cohesion and commitment to democracy. This text may not be reproduced or reprinted in any form without the express written permission of the Population Reference Bureau. See our copyright policy .