in the next years , The so-called generation Many childrenthe period from 1958 to 1975, which corresponds to The highest birth rate from our history. Gradual opening up to self-sufficiency, desire for modernization and strong economic growth were the main factors of that stage.
According to data from INE demographic projections, between 2023 and 2050, the Population over 65 years old It will increase by more than six million people, correspondingly Economic costs of the public system Basic pension. No one escapes retirement season with demographic prospects Low birth ratewhich results in a shortage of alternative labour, the impossibility of maintaining such a large passive class and generates a need for people to come to work in our country.
How did we get here? The reasons are many and varied. The economy is one of the most important economies, considering we are a country Childbirth policies were not encouraged effective and sustainable. Having children has a significant economic and social cost, which we often don’t realize, and everything indicates that we are lagging behind in reversing demographic trends.
It’s time to add them to birth policies Non-existent immigration policies or raised from the point of view of merely substituting employment for those service and agricultural jobs which are not covered by the country’s present manpower, either because of lack of incentives or because they are very low-wage jobs.
The people who access and occupy these jobs come from other countries and cultures, which creates an enormous social, economic and cultural challenge. We can make proposals for social integration, but they are difficult to implement and require time and money. However, it is easier to create and deploy elimination temptations.
the difficult economic situation that we live –Job insecuritythousand dollar wages, economic inflationAnd housing costs New, extremely high labor realities affected by the technological revolution … – create the perfect breeding ground for projecting all problems towards the enemyin this case “the stranger, who is not like us”.
Spain, Catalonia too, lives, like other regions of the planet, The Fear of the other. Concerns about race, religion, language and/or technology re-emerge. Catalonia has also opened, in a local key, its own exclusive mini-franchise: “Catalonia, only for those from here”. We risk being forgotten and losing an entire tradition of social and cultural integration. We have many people whose parents were born abroad, but whose children were born here and naturally live and participate in our culture and traditions. Throughout our history we have been basically a host village. Our maritime and trade traditions have helped us. Almost all Mediterranean civilizations have passed through our country.
When we talk about the future of our cities, in Catalonia, let’s stop talking about luxury and assume that This country has changed a lot. The top managers of organizations in the UK and London are from other countries and cultures. Here, in Catalonia, that reality still scares us, but we’ll get it sooner rather than later. Demographic projections can generate stories about ourselves Identity loss. France is mired in this debate. Let’s not forget that Linguistic integration does not automatically generate social, economic and cultural integration.
Afraid of losing what? Id is the batter’s daughter? We have been mixing for more than 2,000 years, but periodically Fear and hate They reclaim space. If in the past 40 years we have changed the entire region, it is because of our open attitude. However, the scythe of revenge is reborn today like a phoenix. Let’s not look elsewhere. Politically correct speeches generate ooze in the ears, but they don’t soothe the bodies of many people. Let’s face the differences frankly, let’s be honest with ourselves. Let us not ignore the ethnic seed that has been sown in some regions of our country. The easy qualifiers do not solve the extraordinary complexity and difficulty we face. Either we put on the quiet or we put on the petrol. Retirement, the challenges of immigration, and rethinking our social and cultural identities may seem like separate topics, but thin red threads tie them together more than we think.
The danger is in hiding the debate, can we delay some retirements? We need to open the door to this discussion without xenophobic expressions: under what circumstances?, and what do we do? and how much? It is the great controversy in Europe, Spain and also in Catalonia.
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