Can the rich world escape its baby crisis?
Governments are splurging on handouts to avert catastrophe
![Illustration of a tree with babies growing on it](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/content-assets/images/20240525_FND001.jpg)
Three decades ago, when women now entering their 40s became fertile, East Asian governments had reason to celebrate. If a South Korean woman behaved the same way as her older compatriots, she would emerge from her childbearing years with 1.7 offspring on average, down from 4.5 in 1970. Across the region, policymakers had brought down teenage pregnancies dramatically. The drop in birth rates, which occurred over the span of a single generation, was a stunning success. That was until it carried on. And on.
This article appeared in the Finance & economics section of the print edition under the headline “Putting a price on them”
Finance & economics May 25th 2024
- Can the rich world escape its baby crisis?
- Brazil, India and Mexico are taking on China’s exports
- How the Chinese state aims to calm the property market
- At long last, Europe’s economy is starting to grow
- Boaz v BlackRock: Whoever wins, closed-end funds lose
- Shrinking populations mean less growth and a more fractious world
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