The December Atlantic article on this topic (recently discussed) says the presence of this effect does not correlate with class [0]: > Although the average num

The December Atlantic article on this topic (recently discussed) says the presence of this effect does not correlate with class [0]: > Although the average number of lateral relatives varies across race and class groups in the U.S., the cousin decline is either imminent or already happening across all of them. My suspicion is that once the standard of living reaches a certain baseline level (which e.g. even many "poor" people in the US hit) reproduction takes a back seat. This is clearly in part due to an increased availability of birth control and the ability for women to enter the workforce and make these choices for themselves, which wasn't even an option under more patriarchal societies. I think there's something more subtle there, too. There's so much more to do now for young people in developed countries, even those of relatively modest economic means. This might manifest as furthering one's career, or in pursuit of hobbies, or in travel, or in consumption of entertainment products, or in higher education... or any number of ways. Child rearing takes many of these options off the table, or it curtails and constrains them severely. It seems like having fewer children is a pretty reasonable response in a world that is more enjoyable and potentially personally rewarding than any has ever been before. [0] https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2023/12/cousin-relationships-fertility-rate/676892/ https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2023/12/cousin-re...