There seems to be a false idea that the economy is what is stopping people from having more children. How can our leaders be so blind, or is this pure rhetoric?
For centuries, birth rates have declined because of economic policies, mechanisation, medicine, and so on. But the primary reason today is plainly that having children takes a lot of time, and many people simply want to explore their own lives and potential—even if that isn’t for anything glorious. It might just be saving for a nice vacation in Thailand instead of saving for a baby room.
I find the hypocrisy on this topic hard to swallow, as the only reason ever mentioned is the economic one. No politician comes to talk shows with a clear agenda on this, recognising the future of a low birth rate and how society needs to adapt to it. They are still selling the state benefits that will supposedly make women want to have five children again.
Maybe China will come up with some kind of moral framework for this, as their crisis will be the worst.