Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Population Aging pp 3–17Cite as

A Silent Revolution

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

  • 2509 Accesses

Part of the book series: International Perspectives on Aging ((Int. Perspect. Aging,volume 3))

Abstract

Part I of the book (Chaps. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5) is concerned with developments at the societal level. Chapter 1 (A Silent Revolution) introduces the emerging revolution in national age structures and the main demographic theories that have provided starting points for interpreting population aging and its consequences. The first half of the chapter shows that current trends in population aging are transforming contemporary societies in contrasting ways. While population aging and growth in the numbers of older people are becoming universal, countries differ in the pace of change and their potential to adapt. The differences are such that they range from being relatively favorably positioned, to being open to adverse outcomes in the future. The summary of global and national trends provides the setting for the second half of the chapter, which presents an overview of the applications of transition theories in the study of population aging. Just as demographic trends have proceeded beyond previous expectations, so too research is transforming the theoretical bases of our understanding of population aging. The chapter reviews three theories – namely the demographic transition, the epidemiologic transition, and the second demographic transition – as the foundation for the discussion, in later chapters, of the new demography of aging, the health of aging populations and the pivotal role of the family in demographic trends.

… we are in the midst of a silent revolution. It is a revolution that extends well beyond demographics, with major economic, social, cultural, psychological and spiritual implications. (United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, at the launching of the United Nations International Year of Older Persons 1998)

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • Annan, K. (1998). International year of older persons. United Nations. http://www.un.org/NewLinks/older/99/older.htm. Accessed May 2011.

  • Ariès, P. (1980). Two successive motivations for the declining birth rate in the West. Population and Development Review, 6(4), 645–650.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bongaarts, J., & Bulatao, R. A. (1999). Completing the demographic transition. Population and Development Review, 25(3), 515–529.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Borrie, W.D. (Chairman). (1978). Population and Australia: Recent demographic trends and their implications (Supplementary report of the National Population Inquiry). Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Casterline, J. B. (2003). Demographic transition. In P. Demeny & G. McNicoll (Eds.), Encyclopaedia of population (pp. 210–216). New York: Macmillan Reference.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coale, A. J., & Demeny, P. (1983). Regional model life tables and stable populations. New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coale, A. J., & Guo, G. (1990). New regional model life tables at high expectation of life. Population Index, 56, 26–41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hauser, P. M. (1976). Aging and world-wide population change. In R. H. Binstock & E. Shanas (Eds.), Handbook of aging and the social sciences (pp. 59–86). New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.

    Google Scholar 

  • Laslett, P. (1989). A fresh map of life: The emergence of the third age. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lesthaeghe, R., & Surkyn, J. (2008). When history moves on: The foundations and diffusion of a second demographic transition. In R. Jayakody, A. Thornton, & W. G. Axinn (Eds.), Ideational perspectives on international family change (pp. 81–118). New York: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lesthaeghe, R., & van de Kaa, D. J. (1986). Twee demografische transities? In R. Lesthaeghe & D. J. van de Kaa (Eds.), Bevolking: groei en krimp, mens en maatschappij book supplement (pp. 9–24). Deventer: Van Loghum-Slaterus.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maslow, A. (1954). Motivation and personality. New York: Harper and Row.

    Google Scholar 

  • Myers, G. C., & Eggers, M. (1996). Demography. In J. E. Birren (Ed.), Encyclopedia of gerontology: Age, aging and the aged. San Diego: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Research Council. (2001). Preparing for an aging world: The case for cross-national research. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Omran, A. R. (1971). The epidemiologic transition: A theory of the epidemiology of population change. The Milbank Memorial Fund Quarterly, 49, 509–538.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Omran, A. R. (1981). The epidemiologic transition. In J. A. Ross (Ed.), International encyclopaedia of population (pp. 172–175). New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Population Reference Bureau. (2010). 2010 World Population Data Sheet. Washington, DC: Population Reference Bureau.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, R. G., & Hackenberg, R. (1987). Extending epidemiologic transition theory: A new stage. Social Biology, 34, 234–243.

    Google Scholar 

  • United Nations. (1973). The determinants and consequences of population trends (Vol. 1). New York: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Studies No. 50, ST/SOA/SER. A/50.

    Google Scholar 

  • United Nations. (2001). World population prospects: The 2000 revision (CD, disk 1: standard set). New York: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division.

    Google Scholar 

  • United Nations. (2009). World population prospects: The 2008 revision population database. New York: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. http://esa.un.org/UNPP/index.asp?panel=2. Accessed April 2010.

  • van de Kaa, D. J. (1987). Europe’s second demographic transition. Population Bulletin, 42(1), 1–59.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vaupel, J. W., & Loichinger, E. (2006). Redistributing work in ageing Europe. Science, 312(5782), 1911–1913.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weeks, J. R. (2002). Population: An introduction to concepts and issues. Belmont: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, C. (2004). Fertility below replacement level. Science, 304(5668), 207–208.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, C., & Pison, G. (2004). More than half of the global population lives where fertility is below replacement level. Population and Societies, 405(October), 1–4.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Sociology Research School of Social Sciences, The Australian National University, Canberra, A.C.T, 0200, Australia

    Donald T. Rowland

Authors
  1. Donald T. Rowland
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer Netherlands

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Rowland, D.T. (2012). A Silent Revolution. In: Population Aging. International Perspectives on Aging, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4050-1_1

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation