Prompt: It is expected that there will be a higher proportion of older people than that of young people in many countries in the future. Do you think it is a positive or negative development?

Several countries are expected to have an aged population in the future years. As far as I concern, this movement has many negative consequences, thus governments should try to slow down the disproportionate growth of the population. Ċ The first reason why an excessive number of aged citizens would be detrimental is that there would be a shortage of labour in the next few years. Although people might have more living time, the increase in life expectancy does not equate to the extended amount of workforce, since the seniors are not as capable of working full-time as the younger counterpart. Consequently, the economy of developing countries, which relies dominantly on human capital, would likely suffer in 10 years time. In other words, the anticipated rise in the proportion of elder citizens is likely to threaten the operations of thousands of companies that depend on young and competent human resource. Ċ In addition to the aforementioned ground, a greying population could as well require extra government expenditure on social welfare and medical services, in the form of insurance and the infrastructure of retirement homes. The cost for accomodating the segment of residents is exorbitant in Japan and Europe, which ranges at about 200 billion US dollars annually, and is to rise by 60% in 2040. If the situation happens in societies with limited financial resources such as Vietnam, the government may have to raise the tax to compensate for the spending, which transfers the burden onto taxpayers. As a result, it is for the economic security of not only the nation but also its individuals that a country's demographic should be kept at a balance. Ċ In conclusion, the projected growth of elderly people is likely to cause social issues, the scarcity of labour and the rise of taxes as an example. Therefore, it is no doubt an adverse development to society at large.