Re:No Babies? -- Causes for the aging population of Europe
by kjhgbhjkl on Sunday October 03, 2010 @02:58AM
(#1752271)
Generally there is a bounce.
For a generation after women get the chance of a career, education etc the birth rate plumnets - this is the position Italy is in.
Then 20-30 years later those same women have reached positions in politics, industry, education etc where they can influence policy on childcare, maternity leave etc. Then the number of children goes back up - this is the state Scandanavia is in.
Germany is a little odd, remember that less than 20years ago it absorbed a 3rd world country which rather screws up it's stats.
What tends to happen in nations when motherhood becomes an either-or proposition is, women opt to either forgo childbearing or chose to only have 1 child and then continue on with their career track. Whereas in countries with a broader view of motherhood, women who want both aren't guilted by society to stop at 1 or, and likewise fewer women face the choice of forgoing or limiting motherhood to pursue their career ambitions.