This paper, the introductory chapter to a forthcoming book ("Financing Recurrent Education"), discusses the political and economic dimensions of life-long learning (recurrent education) and suggests methods by which a recurrent education system might be constructed and financed. The decline in youthful labor force entrants and forecasted changes in technology and the labor force are producing a need for a system that provides opportunities for education and training throughout the life cycle of workers. The author presents nine different motives for advocating the expansion of recurrent education and points out that this very diversity of approaches and motives may be the greatest political obstacle to its adoption and implementation. A bibliography is included. (MD/MLF)