[americanbychoice2]

There IS a direct relationship here. German social and Health systems are Bankrupt because of it. This is not conjecture, it is happening NOW. They don't have the population to pay into the system anymore. Their ratio now is 2:1. Soon it will less than 1:1. It doesn't take a mthematical genius to determine that this won't work.
Why do you think the EU is so determined to bring all these countries into the fold? There will be a centralised Tax system and the big 3 want to control them and benefit from the new members prosperity. Without those additions Germany could not sustain itself.
Of course there will be other problems, but those are 10-15 years down the road.

[liberallarry]

I don't see why technological advance couldn't reduce health care costs and retirement costs to where they are affordable. I read somewhere that something like 90% of medical costs are incurred in the last two years of life. Eliminate those final exhorbitant costs and medical care becomes affordable even without further advance. Throw in more emphasis on prevention and mitigation rather than cure and the financial problems diminish even more.

The problem is political and cultural, not economic.