Let me explain a big problem in seven simple sentences. As countries grow rich, their birthrates fall and the average age of the population climbs. In order to keep up a lofty standard of living, citizens need workers to serve them, whether as neurosurgeons in hospitals, waiters in restaurants, or manicurists in nail salons. This requires an influx of new workers, which means opening up the gates to more immigrants. Unless a country has strong cultural and civic institutions, new immigrants can splinter the dominant culture. Thus countries face either (1) declining relative wealth or (2) fraying cultural fabric. Prosperous nations cannot enjoy their prosperity without becoming multicultural. But if they become multicultural, they struggle to pursue unified, national goals.
The inevitable issue that happens to almost any developed nation. Birth rates drop and immigration is needed to maintain the country’s economic development. Social integration then becomes the biggest challenges for these countries.
The rise of nationalistic and insular politics is definitely one reaction towards this trend. Yet, as nations move to be more inter-connected with each other than ever, taking an insular approach to the nation’s future might not be a good thing.
I’ll be posting a few more excerpts in the book’s chronological order over the next few days to share Buchholz’s perspectives and how he thinks these issues can be alleviated.
