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"I understand that, but I also don't want to live in a country where people have children they can't afford to raise." It's a catch 22, because people can't af

"I understand that, but I also don't want to live in a country where people have children they can't afford to raise." It's a catch 22, because people can't afford to have kids if there isn't enough economic growth, and not enough optimism for the future. Why would you be optimistic about your country's future if it's going to look like a depopulated geriatric wasteland? Of course people don't want to have kids under such circumstances! This is why the low birth rate -> low economic growth feedback is so vicious. Smart countries - eg Indonesia - are currently attempting radical social policies to escape this catch 22.

mcv 4y ago
It's not about economic growth, it's about being able to afford a house big enough to raise kids in, have time to raise them, and be able to give them a good education. Housing costs in particular are so ridiculously high that lots of young people simply can't afford to move out of their parents' place, and if they can, it's to a tiny apartment. Economic growth isn't going to help them if all that money is going only to the rich, and if you divide society's wealth right, you can still make sure they have enough during low or no economic growth. The problem is in political economic decisions.