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MCDB 150 - Lecture 19 - Economic Motivations for Fertility
Lecture 19 - Economic Motivations for Fertility
Overview
Data shows, consistently, that poor people have more children than rich people; economically speaking, children are an inferior good. Children are production goods because they do work, consumption goods because they are enjoyable, and investment goods because they support parents in old age. Jobs in the modern sector require education and health. To pay for this, parents have to focus their resources on fewer children.
Resources
Assignment
Bryant, "Theories of Fertility Decline and Evidence from Development Indicators."
Lloyd, "Investing in the Next Generation: The Implications of High Fertility at the Level of the Family."
Panayotou, "The Population, Environment, and Development Nexus."
Hardin, "The Tragedy of the Commons."
Lecture Chapters
- Children as Inferior Goods [0]
- The Economics of Childbearing [590]
- Children as Consumption Goods [1335]
- Children as Investment Goods [1723]
- Education and Maximizing Investment in Children [2275]
- Investing in Education [3046]
- The Process of Modernization [3421]
- Opportunity Costs of Childbearing for Modern Mothers [3979]
Lecture Chapters
- Children as Inferior Goods [0]
- The Economics of Childbearing [590]
- Children as Consumption Goods [1335]
- Children as Investment Goods [1723]
- Education and Maximizing Investment in Children [2275]
- Investing in Education [3046]
- The Process of Modernization [3421]
- Opportunity Costs of Childbearing for Modern Mothers [3979]