Why is the desire to have children declining?

Why is the desire to have children declining?

Why is the desire to have children declining? On the one hand, they do not want to have children, and on the other hand, they want to have children. The fertility contradiction between Chinese young people and society also has a profound impact on China's development. Competitiveness in the international landscape. But generally speaking, they are more reluctant to have children. Why the desire to have children has declined. Why the desire to have children has declined 1

First of all, the cost of childbirth is very high, mainly in terms of housing, medical care and education. An increase in family size means that the amount of money and resources spent on children will also increase.

The second point is that the acceleration of urbanization is not only a problem in China, but also in other countries in the world. The fertility rate in rural areas is higher than that in cities. As urbanization continues to accelerate, fertility rates will naturally decline.

The third point is that the concept of raising children has changed. In the past, people thought that having more children would lead to more happiness, and just have more children. Nowadays, people pay attention to eugenics and nurturing, and fewer but better. , pouring all the best resources into a child.

The fourth point is environmental issues and food hygiene issues, which affect people’s health and lead to infertility. Even if you are pregnant with a child, various problems may occur. .

The fifth point is that the ratio of men to women is imbalanced, with more men and fewer women. Many men cannot find a partner at all.

The sixth point is girls’ self-awakening. Many women today are well-educated and have good jobs and incomes. They are no longer dependent on men or just a fertility machine, but have their own certain In terms of family status, they have independent personalities and thoughts, and will explore the value and meaning of their lives on their own. Such women will not tolerate those feudal family environments at all, nor will they just look after children and do housework at home. Why the desire to have children has declined 2

On the one hand, they do not want to have children, and on the other hand, they want to have children. The fertility conflict between Chinese young people and society has also profoundly affected China's competitiveness in the international landscape.

Population, as the denominator of talent reserves, is an important indicator for examining a country’s human resources. As one of the first entrepreneurs to start studying population economic issues, Liang Jianzhang believes that the "death" of Chinese families and the reduced willingness of young people to have children will reverse China's trend of "comprehensive catch-up" in the competition between China and the United States.

"In twenty years, China will maintain a strong momentum, and China's technological level will continue to catch up with and surpass the United States; but will it still be the case in 20 or 50 years?" With this research topic, in At the first international symposium on 'Family and Fertility' held by Guanghua College of Peking University, Liang Jianzhang conducted a comparative analysis of the scientific and technological competition between China and the United States from the perspective of the quantity and quality of human resources in China and the United States:

From the perspective of human resources In terms of the number of resources, the number of papers published in core journals in China is approaching the United States in rapid growth, ranking second in the world; however, the United States still maintains a leading position due to the scale effect of its scientific and technological innovation; and in the R&D expenditures of China and the United States, As a proportion of GDP, China's growth rate is also higher than that of the United States; China has also surpassed the United States in terms of the number of Chinese and American doctoral students in science and engineering.

After talking about quantity, let’s look at the comparison of the quality of human resources between China and the United States: in the ten years from 2006 to 2016, among the proportion of non-US citizens who were awarded doctorates in science and engineering, the number of Chinese students Far more than other developed countries, accounting for 37%. In other words, for every one million Chinese, four people have obtained American doctorates.

Since China’s human resources are improving in quality and quantity, why does it still cause Liang Jianzhang to worry? Because in his view, combined with China's current low fertility rate, China will lose its competitive advantage in 20 years due to population problems.

There are two data that can serve as support:

Comparing the proportion of young people aged 25-44 with a college degree or above in China and the United States, China will be in 2028. It will surpass the United States in 2017 and reach its peak in 2044; then, China's proportion of college student population will enter a fast track of decline and is expected to begin to be lower than that of the United States again by the end of this century. "The current fertility rate in China is close to 1, and the population per generation is halved, which means that although China's current population is four times that of the United States, its young people may only be about twice that of the United States." Liang Jianzhang said.

Another unprecedented phenomenon is that as a developing country, China’s fertility rate is already as low as that of developed countries. "China's current per capita GDP is only 10,000 US dollars, the urbanization rate is only 60%, and the fertility rate is already the same as that of developed countries such as Singapore and South Korea. It is conceivable that when China enters the ranks of developed countries, it will become a demographic crisis in the world. The most serious country." Liang Jianzhang said.

On the other hand, the United States, with its open immigration policy, has included talents from all over the world into its "human resource pool" and has more than doubled its population base. Immigrants account for nearly half of the top scientists and entrepreneurs in the United States.

There is an old saying in China: "If you love your children, you will have far-reaching plans." The demographic dividend has been the springboard for China's rapid economic growth over the past 30 years. Faced with the sudden decrease in the population of the next generation, it will also become a shackle for future economic growth.

Recently, the relevant person in charge of the Ministry of Civil Affairs wrote in the "14th Five-Year Plan Suggestions and Guidance Reader" that: my country's population development has entered a critical turning period, and the total fertility rate has fallen below the warning line. . Once the fertility rate falls below 1.5, it will fall into the "low fertility trap" and usher in a series of social problems that are difficult to reverse.

Liang Jianzhang believes that the urgency and seriousness of China’s population problem urgently need to be paid attention to. “As a country with strong executive power, China can effectively solve a series of social problems caused by China’s population decline if it can put forward policies that effectively encourage childbirth and actively mobilize social resources.

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