--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On aging societies, there is no reason…" description: "\"On aging societies, there is no reason why a country that has a lot of old people can't be prosperous if, during their working lives, individuals provi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fe/milton-friedman-616_aging_on-aging-societies-there-is-no-reason-wh_957388.png" --- # On aging societies, there is no reason why a country that… ![“On aging societies, there is no reason why a country that has a lot of old people can't be prosperous if, during their working lives, individuals provide for their retirement.” quote by Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fe/milton-friedman-616_aging_on-aging-societies-there-is-no-reason-wh_957388.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fe/milton-friedman-616_aging_on-aging-societies-there-is-no-reason-wh_957388.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fe/milton-friedman-616_aging_on-aging-societies-there-is-no-reason-wh_957388.png) > “On aging societies, there is no reason why a country that has a lot of old people can't be prosperous if, during their working lives, individuals provide for their retirement.” [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prosperity depends on individuals saving for retirement, not on the age composition of the population. **In simple terms:** Saving for retirement enables prosperity despite aging populations. Key Takeaway Encourage personal retirement savings. Themes economics demography public policy retirement prosperity Mood analytical concerned Type policy economic demographic When to use this quote - government budgeting - personal finance planning - population aging strategies - social welfare design Key Concepts intergenerational equity social security financial independence Questions to Reflect On - How can societies ensure adequate retirement savings? - What policies support both aging and growth? A Different Perspective If savings are insufficient, prosperity may still falter. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aging/) [Aging Societies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aging-societies-785090/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [No reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/no-reason/) [Old people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-people/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Prosperous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-prosperous-769047/) [Prosperous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prosperous/) [Provide Retirement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/provide-retirement-690478/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Reason why](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason-why/) [Retirement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retirement/) [Working life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-life/) ## Related quotes > [Free enterprise makes people prosperous, all people prosperous, and big government makes people poorer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/free-enterprise-makes-people-prosperous-all-people-prosperous-and-big/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [“An idealist is someone who helps other people to be prosperous”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-henry-ford/an-idealist-is-someone-who-helps-other-people-to-be-prosperous/) [Ford Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-henry-ford/) > [If we look to the history of other nations, ancient or modern, we find no example of a growth so rapid, so gigantic, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-monroe/if-we-look-to-the-history-of-other-nations-ancient-or-modern-we-find/) [James Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-monroe/) > [“Many people become prosperous only to realize that Success is more Fulfillment than Achievement.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rvm/many-people-become-prosperous-only-to-realize-that-success-is-more/) [RVM](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rvm/) > [There are people in the world who aren't necessarily Christians, but they're just naturally nice people who do a lot for other people. Those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/there-are-people-in-the-world-who-aren-t-necessarily-christians-but/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [My father's biggest achievement was to motivate the South Korean people, to show them we could become prosperous if we worked hard. He taught…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-geun-hye/my-father-s-biggest-achievement-was-to-motivate-the-south-korean/) [Park Geun-hye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-geun-hye/) > [An idealist is a person who helps other people to be prosperous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/an-idealist-is-a-person-who-helps-other-people-to-be-prosperous/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [I am not a huge fan of the Celtic Tiger; I was so glad that you could see people being prosperous, that you didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-friday/i-am-not-a-huge-fan-of-the-celtic-tiger-i-was-so-glad-that-you-could/) [Gavin Friday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-friday/) > [In the face of sluggish growth, aging societies, and increasing educational attainment of young women, the economic case for gender equality is clear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-angel-gurria/in-the-face-of-sluggish-growth-aging-societies-and-increasing/) [Jose Angel Gurria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-angel-gurria/) > [“How do you afford a good education for your children and provide for your own retirement? It requires using financial intelligence instead of hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-t-kiyosaki/how-do-you-afford-a-good-education-for-your-children-and-provide-for/) [Robert T. Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-t-kiyosaki/) > [“We go to school so that when we grow up we can make lots of money, and we make lots of money so we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-m-arcejaeger/we-go-to-school-so-that-when-we-grow-up-we-can-make-lots-of-money-and/) [R.M. ArceJaeger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-m-arcejaeger/) > [My financial adviser Ric Edelman...thinks the time to start educating people about money is when they are children. He's set up a retirement plan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/my-financial-adviser-ric-edelman-thinks-the-time-to-start-educating/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) > [Government doesn't make people prosperous. Prosperity is found within the ideas of the American people. Always has been, and it always will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-tuberville/government-doesn-t-make-people-prosperous-prosperity-is-found-within/) [Tommy Tuberville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-tuberville/) > [The only reason there is a crisis about Social Security in the US and pensions in Europe and Japan is that you cannot maintain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-only-reason-there-is-a-crisis-about-social-security-in-the-us-and/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [I think the issue of women's choice is essential for a woman being able to have their lives - if they cannot control their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavis-smiley/i-think-the-issue-of-women-s-choice-is-essential-for-a-woman-being/) [Tavis Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavis-smiley/) ## More by Milton Friedman > [The government solution to a problem is usually as bad as the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-government-solution-to-a-problem-is-usually-as-bad-as-the-problem/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [I believe the role that people like myself have played in the transformation of public opinion has been by persistently presenting a different point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/i-believe-the-role-that-people-like-myself-have-played-in-the/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [To really understand something you've got to reduce it to its principles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/to-really-understand-something-you-ve-got-to-reduce-it-to-its/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [It is a mark of how far we have gone on the road to serfdom that government allocation and rationing of oil is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/it-is-a-mark-of-how-far-we-have-gone-on-the-road-to-serfdom-that/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [Economic freedom is an essential requisite for political freedom. By enabling people to cooperate with one another without coercion or central direction, it reduces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/economic-freedom-is-an-essential-requisite-for-political-freedom-by/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [“The people in one district can choose not to reelect their member of Congress, but that will not change the composition of the government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-people-in-one-district-can-choose-not-to-reelect-their-member-of/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [When you have a time of crisis what happens depends on what ideas are floating around, and what ideas have been developed, and thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/when-you-have-a-time-of-crisis-what-happens-depends-on-what-ideas-are/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [The government doesn't have any money. The only power it has is to take from some and give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-government-doesn-t-have-any-money-the-only-power-it-has-is-to/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [What would the people who sold us goods do with the money? They'd get dollars. What would they do with the dollars? Eat them?!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/what-would-the-people-who-sold-us-goods-do-with-the-money-they-d-get/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [World trade depends on differences among countries, not similarities. Different countries are in different stages of development. It is appropriate for them to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/world-trade-depends-on-differences-among-countries-not-similarities/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [Is there some society you know of that doesn't run on greed? You think Russia doesn't run on greed? You think China doesn't run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/is-there-some-society-you-know-of-that-doesn-t-run-on-greed-you-think/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [Well first of all, tell me, is there some society you know of that doesn't run on greed? You think Russia doesn't run on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/well-first-of-all-tell-me-is-there-some-society-you-know-of-that/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [I think almost every economist would agree that government gets itself in trouble when it tries to interfere with voluntary behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/i-think-almost-every-economist-would-agree-that-government-gets/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [It is most attractive about the US to people and countries with wealth is that it can provide security, insurance really, against political instability.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/it-is-most-attractive-about-the-us-to-people-and-countries-with/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [Hong Kong is the bellwether. If the Chinese stick to their agreement to let Hong Kong go its own path, then China will also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/hong-kong-is-the-bellwether-if-the-chinese-stick-to-their-agreement/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) [Explore all 444 Milton Friedman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) ## More Aging quotes > [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [In the past 40 years, the United States lost more than a million farmers and ranchers. Many of our farmers are aging. Today, only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/in-the-past-40-years-the-united-states-lost-more-than-a-million/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [We'll never be as young as we are tonight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/we-ll-never-be-as-young-as-we-are-tonight/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“Prayer of an Anonymous Abbess: Lord, thou knowest better than myself that I am growing older and will soon be old. Keep me from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prayer-of-an-anonymous-abbess-lord-thou-knowest-better-than-myself/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The more I produce, the less I am certain. On the road along which the artist walks, night falls ever more densely. Finally, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-more-i-produce-the-less-i-am-certain-on-the-road-along-which-the/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [So often do you see collegians enter life with high resolve and lofty purpose and then watch them shrink and shrink to sordid, selfish,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/so-often-do-you-see-collegians-enter-life-with-high-resolve-and-lofty/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [Aging is like enlightenment at gunpoint. Before I had cancer, I lived my life for my art. After I had cancer, I lived my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-halprin/aging-is-like-enlightenment-at-gunpoint-before-i-had-cancer-i-lived/) [Anna Halprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-halprin/) > [All the dangers in our world are like a blessed wake up call. They tell us to live life NOW... not tomorrow, not when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/all-the-dangers-in-our-world-are-like-a-blessed-wake-up-call-they/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) > [“You could see the signs of female aging as diseased, especially if you had a vested interest in making women too see them your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/you-could-see-the-signs-of-female-aging-as-diseased-especially-if-you/) [Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/) > [“It takes maturity to be able to laugh like a child again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moffat-machingura/it-takes-maturity-to-be-able-to-laugh-like-a-child-again/) [Moffat Machingura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moffat-machingura/) > [Seek ye counsel of the aged for their eyes have looked on the faces of the years and their ears have hardened to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/seek-ye-counsel-of-the-aged-for-their-eyes-have-looked-on-the-faces/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [Growing old-it's not nice, but it's interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/growing-old-it-s-not-nice-but-it-s-interesting/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) > [Anything is possible in the life of a man if he lives long enough. Even maturity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howell-raines/anything-is-possible-in-the-life-of-a-man-if-he-lives-long-enough/) [Howell Raines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howell-raines/) > [I just want to be Patty McCormack. I want to spend every year aging the way she has.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-varney/i-just-want-to-be-patty-mccormack-i-want-to-spend-every-year-aging/) [Janet Varney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-varney/) > [Maturity is reached the day we don't need to be lied to about anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-yerby/maturity-is-reached-the-day-we-don-t-need-to-be-lied-to-about-anything/) [Frank Yerby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-yerby/) [Browse all 2,792 Aging quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aging/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "On aging societies, there is no reason why a country that has a lot of old people can't be prosperous if, during their working lives, individuals provide for their retirement.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Milton Friedman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/on-aging-societies-there-is-no-reason-why-a-country-that-has-a-lot-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aging" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/on-aging-societies-there-is-no-reason-why-a-country-that-has-a-lot-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fe/milton-friedman-616_aging_on-aging-societies-there-is-no-reason-wh_957388.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fe/milton-friedman-616_aging_on-aging-societies-there-is-no-reason-wh_957388.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fe/milton-friedman-616_aging_on-aging-societies-there-is-no-reason-wh_957388.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“On aging societies, there is no reason why a country that has a lot of old people can't be prosperous if…” — Milton Friedman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Milton Friedman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "On aging societies, there is no...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/on-aging-societies-there-is-no-reason-why-a-country-that-has-a-lot-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/on-aging-societies-there-is-no-reason-why-a-country-that-has-a-lot-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```