The French philosopher Auguste Comte once said that “demography is destiny.” The quote may have grown trite, but only because it emphasizes an essential truth—that underlying many of the economic, social, and political dynamics that structure human society are demographic fundamentals. Global discourse on the future of work often foregrounds technological acceleration and climate change; but global transitions in demography will also shape labor markets in profound ways. This brief explores general findings from global literature on demographic trends, while also unveiling the specific demographic concerns of the Global South, which are themselves internally diverse, and connecting all of these population dynamics to the quest for a better world of work
