4 ms·

Then why is Germany, Sweden, Spain, Japan, Finland etc significantly below the US?

freyir 8y ago
Historically, children generated profit. These days, in developed countries, children are expensive. They cost money and time (e.g., years that you would otherwise spend going to school, building a career).
- gowld 8y ago
  Historically, parents were far less productive than we are now. People now just enjoy more material things than historically.
- dagw 8y ago
  These days, in developed countries, children are expensive. Sure, but they're far cheaper in both Sweden and Finland than in the US, yet people are still having fewer children there, so it can't simply be a cost issue.
  - freyir 8y ago
    The monetary cost of a Swedish child might be lower (though to some extent, the cost is just distributed across the population in the form of taxes), but the opportunity cost is not. Scandinavian countries have high rates of post-secondary education, which delays parenthood, and even with progressive workforce policies, having children can slow career advancement [1]. [1] https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2004/sep/22/books.familyandrelationships https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2004/sep/22/books.famil...
mhneu 8y ago
Fewer low-skilled immigrants in those countries compared to the US, is the usual explanation given. The Economist loves to talk about this topic. One recent example: https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2017/08/30/immigrants-boost-americas-birth-rate https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2017/08/30/immigran...
btcbfg 8y ago
This. The real answer isn't as simple as not having enough money.
geff82 8y ago
At least in Germany, birth rates have been growing significantly in recent 3 years. And no, it is not just immigrants, it's about everyone. I think this is an effect of the many children/parent friendly laws that have been introduced by the government over the last 10 years. Laws seldom change a society over night, but their effects take some time to be visible.

Historically, children generated profit. These days, in developed countries, children are expensive. They cost money and time (e.g., years that you would otherwise spend going to school, building a career).

gowld 8y ago
Historically, parents were far less productive than we are now. People now just enjoy more material things than historically.
dagw 8y ago
These days, in developed countries, children are expensive. Sure, but they're far cheaper in both Sweden and Finland than in the US, yet people are still having fewer children there, so it can't simply be a cost issue.
- freyir 8y ago
  The monetary cost of a Swedish child might be lower (though to some extent, the cost is just distributed across the population in the form of taxes), but the opportunity cost is not. Scandinavian countries have high rates of post-secondary education, which delays parenthood, and even with progressive workforce policies, having children can slow career advancement [1]. [1] https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2004/sep/22/books.familyandrelationships https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2004/sep/22/books.famil...

mhneu 8y ago

Fewer low-skilled immigrants in those countries compared to the US, is the usual explanation given. The Economist loves to talk about this topic. One recent example: https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2017/08/30/immigrants-boost-americas-birth-rate https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2017/08/30/immigran...

btcbfg 8y ago

This. The real answer isn't as simple as not having enough money.

geff82 8y ago

At least in Germany, birth rates have been growing significantly in recent 3 years. And no, it is not just immigrants, it's about everyone. I think this is an effect of the many children/parent friendly laws that have been introduced by the government over the last 10 years. Laws seldom change a society over night, but their effects take some time to be visible.