DEMOGRAPHIC ASPECTS OF POPULATION AGING IN RUSSIA ACCORDING TO THE NEW ECONOMIC CRITERION OF OLD AGE
L.A. Popova, E.N. Zorina
Institute of Socio-Economic and Energy Problems of the North, Federal Research Centre Komi Science Centre, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Syktyvkar, Russia
Keywords: age structure of the population, “aging from below”, “aging from above”, demographic burden, retirement age, employment of pensioners, age discrimination in the labor market, Russia
Abstract
This article focuses on examining the trends in demographic aging in Russia following the implementation of the new retirement age and the economic implications behind its increase. Drawing upon data from population censuses and official Rosstat statistics, the study establishes its informational foundation. Analysis reveals features in demographic aging against the new economic threshold for old age across different intercensal periods. Between 1959 and 1970, there is evidence of “aging from below " attributed to a transition to limited fertility rates, alongside “aging from above" as life expectancy increased. The periods of 1970-1979 and 1989-2002 distinctively exhibit characteristics of “agingfrom below." During 1979-1989 and 2002-2010, a decline in the aging of the Russian population is noted. The most recent period, 2010-2021, is the only one to align with the concept of “aging from above, " suggesting a shift towards the aging model typical of economically developed countries. According to the population census of 2021, the number of individuals surpassing the new economic threshold for old age exceeds the count of children under 15. Moreover, this surpasses the previous threshold by 1.6 times. The assessment of demographic burden underscores the necessity of raising the retirement age, aiming to mitigate age discrimination in employment, harness the resource potential of the older generation, and promote healthy and active longevity. However, any increase in the retirement age must be accompanied by an adequately proportional rise in the average pension.
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