How would a working-age population contribute to economic growth?

Question

How would a working-age population contribute to economic growth?

I can only come up with:
-Train the younger working-age population
-Provide more financial to the growth


Can someone please give me more ideas :P

Answer 1

An increasing issue in many developed countries (Europe, OECD, Australia etc) is their ageing populations. As a result, unemployment is becoming less of a problem and a lack of workers is becoming more important. As a an economy experiences a growing proportion of retiree aged population, this means that you have a smaller proportion of the population working to support (through paying taxes and providing services such as health care and pensions). Therefore, the rate of growth in the working age population becomes a constraint on economic growth. Some countries are targetting their migration policies at attracting young working age migrants to counteract this, while others are working to increase the proportion of their working age population that works (eg by providing incentives for mothers to get a part-time job once their children start school).

The link below is to a study in Australia on the impact of the working age population on the economy from this perspective. However, the general picture also applies to many other countries.

Answer 2

What should the govt do to reduce population growth?? Nothing. It's not government's business to do that. Larger forces actually control that - realistically, it's outside of the scope and power of government to effectively do much about it. There are other things that govt can do to help ease social discord, etc. but this is not one of them