Uruguay’s development progress in recent decades includes falling mortality
and fertility which is changing the age structure of the population. This aging of
the population will continue in coming years and motivates the reflections in
this book.
These demographic trends are good news: falling fertility reflects Uruguayans’
ability to control the size of their families, and its aging is a potent indicator of
development. However, we cannot ignore that a change of such magnitude
poses significant challenges along various dimensions: on the long-term horizon
through 2100, the economically active population will fall, with diverse impacts
on the labor market and public accounts. This book explores the potential effects
of the demographic change on social protection, the demand for health care and
education services, the functioning of the labor market, and the macroeconomic
environment. It considers the institutional changes and rules needed to respond
to this new reality.