I’ve expressed concern about falling fertility across the world, an issue raised by people from many different backgrounds and diverse political views. When people share a concern, it’s easy to assume they agree on solutions. But I’m opposed to many of the “solutions” natalists propose.
For example, Politico reports that participants at the recent Natal Conference “… have proposed policies for a potential second Trump administration that would promote having children and raising them in nuclear families, including limiting access to contraceptives, banning no-fault divorce and ending policies that subsidize ‘single-motherhood.’”
They certainly aren’t letting the demographic crisis go to waste; it’s no coincidence that everyone is pushing the same solutions they offer elsewhere. I’m guilty of this too, I think subsidies (i.e. a baby bonus) are a good solution to demographic decline and just so happen to be a great way to replace tariffs, regulation, and occupational licensing.
We can divide the kinds of policies I support and the kinds of policies I don’t based on whether they preserve people’s freedom. Baby bonuses, subsidized maternity leave, fewer regulations on childcare, and zoning reform are pro-natal policies that increase choice. Banning no-fault divorce, banning contraception, banning abortion, and encouraging women to stay at home are all policies that reduce choice.
Policies that limit people’s freedom are morally wrong. You have to get a big benefit to justify a ban on something. Demographic decline isn’t a good enough reason to control women’s fertility decisions, especially when we have effective, non-coercive options.
Banning stuff is opposite of the kind of policy we need. Remember, people want more kids than they’re having; there are too many obstacles to having a bigger family. Removing obstacles is the solution, not adding more.
Reducing women’s control over their fertility is damaging to the economy. Fertility technologies have boosted women’s labor force participation and the world would be far poorer without it. Family planning ensures that children are raised in a home that’s ready for them, which makes them more productive adults. Rolling back these freedoms reverses the material progress they’ve created, and material progress leads to higher fertility.
Many people have come to the conclusion that demographic decline is an issue. But I disagree strongly with some of the policies people have proposed. Solutions that coerce women to have more kids are immoral and will impoverish us. For pro-natal policy to succeed, we have to call out the authoritarians, misogynists, and racists who espouse concern about fertility but hide more sinister motivations.