5 ms·

Many countries have state-run or state-subsidised childcare. Universal or managed childcare - like health care - is one of those things that is a massive drag

• xyzzyz 5y ago
  Most of the countries with state run daycare have even lower fertility than US has. I don’t think there is a single country with all of: government childcare, high female labor market participation, and above replacement fertility. If anything, the correlation is opposite: the more subsidized the childcare is, the fewer children are born.
  • riffraff 5y ago
    While I agree with your point in general, the Faroe islands might qualify. I do not know why, but they have a 2.4 fertility rate, could be related to an influx of women from poor countries (which in turn might not participate in the workforce, confirming what you state).
    • xyzzyz 5y ago
      If you asked me, I’d say that the most probable cause is that people in Faroe Islands have less opportunity to get Education and build a Career, which makes childbearing more attractive in relative terms, as opportunity cost is lower. For the same reason, policies that in the west make it easier to have Education and Career, like subsidized daycare, end up depressing the fertility even further, contrary to expectations.