Developed countries typically have lower birth rates than undeveloped countries.
That is more to do with education and women’s liberation (including contraception), than finances. Which I suspect is still the predominant reason that birth rates are dropping, with finances just a secondary reason.
They lack a social safety net for retirees, so children take care of them in their old age. Children are also a source of wage labor. We’re already softening up on child labor here in the USA to address the labor “shortage”.
When we grew up wondering how we would address overpopulation, impoverishment wasn’t something we had in mind.
If it gets bad enough, birth rates will go up. Developed countries typically have lower birth rates than undeveloped countries.
That is more to do with education and women’s liberation (including contraception), than finances. Which I suspect is still the predominant reason that birth rates are dropping, with finances just a secondary reason.
— Karan Singh
but is that related to infrastructure or wages?
They lack a social safety net for retirees, so children take care of them in their old age. Children are also a source of wage labor. We’re already softening up on child labor here in the USA to address the labor “shortage”.