Goldin emphasizes that the traditional relationship between economic development and birth rates has changed. In some wealthy countries, such as Sweden and the United States, birth rates are higher than in countries like Greece or South Korea, despite similar wealth indicators.
According to the study, more than half of the countries in the world have a birth rate below the replacement level, which is 2.1 children per woman. These countries are home to two-thirds of the world's population, including the largest nations.
Goldin links the decline in birth rates to the imbalance in the distribution of household responsibilities between men and women.
She notes: "Men tend to maintain traditional roles, while women expect their partners to be willing to share childcare responsibilities."
This issue is particularly pronounced in countries that experienced rapid economic growth after World War II, such as Japan, South Korea, Italy, Spain, Greece, and Portugal. In these countries, women spend 3-3.1 hours more per day on household chores than men, leading to one of the lowest birth rates in the world.
In contrast, in Sweden and Denmark, the difference in time spent on household duties is less than one hour, which contributes to a higher birth rate.
The study also showed that in the United States, the birth rate among women with higher education began to decline as early as the 1970s. On average, women born in 1950 with a university education had 1.64 children.
Goldin points out that the main reason for the low birth rate lies in "structural barriers": the inequality in the distribution of household responsibilities and insufficient government support, including childcare assistance programs.
She concludes: "In the absence of adequate support guarantees, women's autonomy leads to a decline in birth rates, whereas with such support, it fosters growth by creating fairer conditions in families and increasing women's productivity in the labor market."
Previously, American researchers noted that the decline in birth rates in the U.S. also contributed to the reduction of the gender pay gap. According to data from the journal Social Forces, about 8% of the reduction in this gap between 1980 and 2018 is related to the fact that working women in America have been having fewer children.
