Thread

1. mlboss · 1790816419 · focus · HN ↗

   There is a very simple solution to the problem. Just add a tax to single people and childless couples or reverse give huge tax break to married and couple with kids.

   In past the motive for marriage was sex and companionship which was frowned in society if out of wedlock. Now it is not frowned upon. The old constraint is gone and we need to add new constraints if we want to solve the problem.

   1. croes · 1790818929 · focus · HN ↗

      That’s how you get loveless marriages and kids whose purpose is being a tax break.

      Good wages, enough free time, affordable housing, free child care, universal healthcare.

      That’s the better way.

      There plenty of people who want to marry and get kids but they don’t have enough time and money.

      1. TFNA · 1790823784 · focus · HN ↗

         > Good wages, enough free time, affordable housing, free child care, universal healthcare.

         Nordic countries did this. Birthrates have been declining regardless. Even Gulf Arab countries which are an even more enviable welfare state, and have considerable religious-cultural emphasis on childraising, too, have seen declining birthrates.

         1. SXX · 1790831825 · focus · HN ↗

            Birthrates decline is unrelated process which is just stronger than those incentives.

            Do you aware how expensive Nordic countries are to live in and have social life even counting all the free stuff?

            And gulf arab countries are basically even worse in this regard.

            1. mrweasel · 1790845773 · focus · HN ↗

               The strongest indicator of declining birthrates isn't living expences, it's the education level of women in a society. Highly educated women, with good, high earning jobs have less children.

               1. boelboel · 1790876281 · focus · HN ↗

                  Highly educated women with high earning jobs don't really have fewer children. It's the women who are above average educated with above average earning. The first category would be graduate degrees/specialised degrees with an earning above 200K in most parts of America (well above it in the vhcol areas and lower in lcol areas) while the second is those earning 70-120K in most parts of America with a bachelor education or some less wanted graduate degrees (again a bit higher in vhcol areas).

                  Very high educated well earning women can offload their duties to others even the getting pregnant part these days. Educated women also tend to have a higher desire for large families, I know families with large amounts of engineers/lawyers/doctors where almost all get more than 2 children.

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