The future of work
Source: Newsweek
Jan 30th, 2006 (Adapted)

    Many of the rich world’s notions about old age are dying. While the streamlining effects of international competition are focusing attention on the need to create and keep good jobs, those fears will eventually give way to worries about the growing shortage of young workers. One unavoidable solution: putting older people back to work, whether they like it or not. Indeed, cutting-edge European economies like those of Finland and Denmark have already raised their retirement ages, reversing the postwar trend toward ever-earlier retirement. Others are under severe pressure to follow suit, as both the European Commission and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have recently warned their members that their future prosperity depends on a growing contribution from the elderly.
    This erosion of one of the cornerstones of the good life – relaxed golden years – has not gone unremarked. In the last year, Belgium, Italy and France have all been hit with massive protests against pension reforms that would, among other things, have raised the retirement age.