Demografie en arbeidsmarkt
Abstract
Demography and labour market - Some demographers look upon the continuously decreasing birth rates in Belgium as a two-fold threat. In combination with the ageing of the population, which will cause the expenditure for pensions and health care to rise quickly, the smaller younger generations would be unable to bear the financial burden. In addition, the present shortage of demand for labour would turn into a shortage of supply of labour by which vacancies could in the long run not be filled in. To counter the problem, a pro-natal policy is supported aiming at raising the average fertility level in order to bring larger generations on the labour market again. This, however, does not take into account obvious solutions within the system of social security itself, of which the alternative way of financing the non-labour bound risks (via taxes and not via contributions on wages) is the most appropriate one. On the other hand, a shortage on the labour market is unlikely since no significant growth of employment is to be expected, not even in the longer run, and a very large labour reserve of job-seekers and of persons who are not in search of employment (anymore) is still available.
How to Cite:
Holderbeke, F., (1996) “Demografie en arbeidsmarkt”, Tijdschrift voor Sociale Wetenschappen 41(1), 72–77. doi: https://doi.org/10.21825/tvsw.95225
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