Low Fertility and the State: The Efficacy of Policy
Open accessAbstract
Low fertility in advanced societies today has been an unintended outcome of two major waves of social and economic change, social liberalism and new capitalism. Both these waves have enhanced individual aspirations in relation to the quality of personal and economic lives. In differing cultural and welfare environments, however, both have also brought considerable pressure to bear upon the capacity to form and maintain families. The personal desire for intimacy and individuation through family relationships remains strong. In their support or promotion of social liberalism and economic deregulation, often through legislation, states have been principal players in the higher risks now associated with family life. Individual preferences are formed in the shadow of the social and economic institutions of the society. The shape of these institutions is within the realm of political choice. Governments of countries experiencing very low fertility can and should act to support family life and the bearing and raising of children.
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The notion that a certain 'package' of family policies must be in place for them to take effect is not striking from the review's evidence.
“The notion that a certain”
From Can Policies Stall the Fertility Fall? A Systematic Review of the (Quasi‐) Experimental Literature (2021) · cites this paper as McDonald 2006
Studies tend to find a positive effect of childcare availability and a negative impact of household expenditure on formal childcare.
“According to the reviews, the studies tend to find a positive effect of childcare availability and a negative impact of household expenditure on formal childcare.”
From Division of domestic labour and lowest-low fertility in South Korea (2017) · cites this paper as McDonald 2006
Increased availability of childcare for preschool children can help raise fertility.
“If this is the case, the finding is in keeping with previous studies (Gauthier 2007; McDonald 2006; Rindfuss et al. 2007) and demonstrates that increased availability of childcare for preschool children can help raise fertility.”
From Division of domestic labour and lowest-low fertility in South Korea (2017) · cites this paper as McDonald 2006
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Why do people postpone parenthood? Reasons and social policy incentives
Mills, M., Rindfuss, R. R., McDonald, P., te Velde, E., & on behalf of the ESHRE Reproduction and Society Task Force (2011) · Human Reproduction Update · doi:10.1093/humupd/dmr026 · Cited by 1,082 · see citing works
Self-citationRe‐theorizing Family Demographics
Esping‐Andersen, G., & Billari, F. C. (2015) · Population and Development Review · doi:10.1111/j.1728-4457.2015.00024.x · Cited by 763 · see citing works
The End of “Lowest‐Low” Fertility?
Goldstein, J. R., Sobotka, T., & Jasilioniene, A. (2009) · Population and Development Review · doi:10.1111/j.1728-4457.2009.00304.x · Cited by 562 · see citing works
Can Policies Stall the Fertility Fall? A Systematic Review of the (Quasi‐) Experimental Literature
Bergsvik, J., Fauske, A., & Hart, R. K. (2021) · Population and Development Review · doi:10.1111/padr.12431 · Cited by 259 · see citing works
Babies, Work, or Both? Highly Educated Women’s Employment and Fertility in East Asia
Brinton, M. C., & Oh, E. (2019) · American Journal of Sociology · doi:10.1086/704369 · Cited by 220 · see citing works
Who's Afraid of Population Decline? A Critical Examination of Its Consequences
Coleman, D., & Rowthorn, R. (2011) · Population and Development Review · doi:10.1111/j.1728-4457.2011.00385.x · Cited by 189 · see citing works
Whose job instability affects the likelihood of becoming a parent in Italy? A tale of two partners
Vignoli, D., Drefahl, S., & De Santis, G. (2012) · Demographic Research · doi:10.4054/demres.2012.26.2 · Cited by 193 · see citing works
Sobotka, T. (2017) · Journal of Biosocial Science · doi:10.1017/s0021932017000323 · Cited by 150 · see citing works
Wood, J., Neels, K., & Kil, T. (2014) · Demographic Research · doi:10.4054/demres.2014.31.46 · Cited by 139 · see citing works
Ong, S. F., Chan, W.-C. S., Shorey, S., Chong, Y. S., Klainin-Yobas, P., & He, H.-G. (2014) · Midwifery · doi:10.1016/j.midw.2013.09.004 · Cited by 111 · see citing works
Domestic division of labour and fertility preference in China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan
Kan, M.-Y., & Hertog, E. (2017) · Demographic Research · doi:10.4054/demres.2017.36.18 · Cited by 99 · see citing works
The relationship between unemployment and fertility in Italy: A time-series analysis
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“A modern discussion on fertility in developed countries began in the 1960s and focused on the importance of socio-economic factors at the community or country level,(4) the incompatibility between work and family, increasing female education, and the roles of women in different contexts related to specific welfare pol…”
BackgroundDivision of domestic labour and lowest-low fertility in South Korea
Kim, E. H.-W. (2017) · Demographic Research · doi:10.4054/demres.2017.37.24 · Cited by 50 · see citing works
Brini, E. (2020) · Genus · doi:10.1186/s41118-020-00074-7 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
- Authors
- Mcdonald, P.
- Affiliations
- Australian National University (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Mcdonald, Peter
- ORCID
- Mcdonald, Peter
- Venue
- Population and Development Review
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2006-09
- Volume
- 32
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 485-510
- ISSN
- 0098-7921 (ISSN-L)
- 1728-4457
- OpenAlex
- W2141582218
- Cited by
- 532
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 14 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 24 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 30 · 2020: 29 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 48 · 2017: 24 · 2016: 28 · 2015: 32 · 2014: 25 · 2013: 32 · 2012: 33
- FWCI
- 64.29
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Population and Development Review (publishedVersion)
- ANU Open Research (Australian National University) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social Policies and Family
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender, Labor, and Family Dynamics
- Keywords
- low fertility, fertility policy, family policy, social liberalism, new capitalism, economic deregulation, family formation, state intervention, personal aspirations, welfare state
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