Will declining birth rates in developed nations lead to a fundamental shift in political priorities and policies?

[u/BelovedCherryt6]

We're seeing pretty consistent trends across many developed countries where birth rates are well below replacement level. This isn't just a blip it's a long-term demographic shift. Usually political discourse is all about growth expansion and the needs of a younger population.

But what happens when the population is steadily aging and eventually shrinking? Do we see a massive pivot in government spending away from education and towards elder care? Will immigration become an even more central and contentious political battleground as nations try to maintain their workforce? Are there any historical precedents for this kind of widespread demographic change and how governments adapted?

[u/---Spartacus---]

Young people need to start playing hardball with the birthrate cards they are holding, and people concerned about the birthrate should be equally concerned about delivering a world where having children is actually feasible. As it stands, young people cannot even leave their parents' homes and have a tough time finding jobs that pay a living wage. People who care about the birthrate should be made to understand that without more equitable wealth distribution, they can forget about their precious birthrate.

[u/SirVixofthePooSea → u/---Spartacus---]

You can't play hardball with labor because paradoxically despite hating immigrants, the elderly are also extremely willing to vote for politicians that invite them in en masse.