Saving and Demographic Change: The Global Dimension

42 Pages Posted: 12 Nov 2008

See all articles by Barry Bosworth

Barry Bosworth

Brookings Institution - Economic Studies Program

Gabriel Chodorow-Reich

Harvard University Department of Economics

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: February 2007

Abstract

This paper uses a panel data set of 85 countries covering 1960-2005 to investigate the macroeconomic linkages between national rates of saving and investment and population aging. The issue takes on added significance because of the recent suggestion that the decline in global interest rates has been driven by demographic changes in the industrial economies. We do find a significant correlation between the age composition of the population and nations' rates of saving and investment, but the effects vary substantially by region. They are very strong for the non-industrial economies of Asia, but weak in the high-income countries. We also find evidence of demographic effects on both the public and private components of national saving. Furthermore, we conclude that the demographic effects on saving will be less disruptive than sometimes believed because of offsetting declines in investment. However, the effects on saving are stronger than those for investment, implying that most aging economies will ultimately be pushed in the direction of current account deficits.

Suggested Citation

Bosworth, Barry and Chodorow-Reich, Gabriel, Saving and Demographic Change: The Global Dimension (February 2007). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1299702 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1299702

Barry Bosworth (Contact Author)

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Gabriel Chodorow-Reich

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