Here’s the thing: lower birth rates are actually a sign of a more developed country. There are a number of reasons for this. If you can’t be sure if the system will properly take care of you in your late years, people tend to have more children so that there will be someone to take care of them in old age. If people (especially women) are better educated, there will be more of a focus on persuing careers, and children can be an impediment to that. Also, if people have better access to healthcare and birth control, many will use it. Just a couple of examples.
Lots of other comments talk about economic hardship. Yes, that’s part of the story, but there are very wealthy people in very wealthy countries who don’t have children. And there also are very poor people in very poor countries who have lots of children.
I guess the question I would ask is:
If economic hardship is your theory, why do very poor people in very poor countries have lots of children?
So the story is not entirely about money. It’s also about the factors you mentioned.
Here’s the thing: lower birth rates are actually a sign of a more developed country. There are a number of reasons for this. If you can’t be sure if the system will properly take care of you in your late years, people tend to have more children so that there will be someone to take care of them in old age. If people (especially women) are better educated, there will be more of a focus on persuing careers, and children can be an impediment to that. Also, if people have better access to healthcare and birth control, many will use it. Just a couple of examples.
THIS.
Lots of other comments talk about economic hardship. Yes, that’s part of the story, but there are very wealthy people in very wealthy countries who don’t have children. And there also are very poor people in very poor countries who have lots of children.
I guess the question I would ask is:
So the story is not entirely about money. It’s also about the factors you mentioned.