This setting lets you change the way you view articles. You can choose to have articles open in a dialog window, a new tab, or directly in the same window.
Open in Dialog
Open in New Tab
Open in same window

Journal of Economic Perspectives: Vol. 26 No. 3 (Summer 2012)

JEP Volume. 26, Issue 3 | leftPrevious ArticleNext Articleright

Expand

Quick Tools:

Print Article Summary Email Link to this Article Export Citation
Sign up for Email Alerts Follow us on Twitter

Explore:

JEP - All Issues


The New Demographic Transition: Most Gains in Life Expectancy Now Realized Late in Life

Article Citation

Eggleston, Karen N., and Victor R. Fuchs. 2012. "The New Demographic Transition: Most Gains in Life Expectancy Now Realized Late in Life." Journal of Economic Perspectives, 26(3): 137-56.

DOI: 10.1257/jep.26.3.137

Abstract

The share of increases in life expectancy realized after age 65 was only about 20 percent at the beginning of the 20th century for the United States and 16 other countries at comparable stages of development; but that share was close to 80 percent by the dawn of the 21st century, and is almost certainly approaching 100 percent asymptotically. This new demographic transition portends a diminished survival effect on working life. For high-income countries at the forefront of the longevity transition, expected lifetime labor force participation as a percent of life expectancy is declining. Innovative policies are needed if societies wish to preserve a positive relationship running from increasing longevity to greater prosperity.

Article Full-Text Access

Full-text Article (Complimentary)

Additional Materials

Online Appendix (694.93 KB)

Authors

Eggleston, Karen N. (Stanford U)
Fuchs, Victor R. (Stanford U)

JEL Classifications

J11: Demographic Trends, Macroeconomic Effects, and Forecasts
J14: Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-labor Market Discrimination

Comments

View Comments on This Article (0) | Login to post a comment


Journal of Economic Perspectives



AEA Member Login:


Quick Tools:

Email Link to this Issue

Sign up for Email Alerts

Follow us on Twitter

Subscription Information
(Institutional Administrator Access)

Explore:

JEP - All Issues

AEA Journals

Virtual Field Journals

AEAweb | AEA Journals | Contact Us