Natalism

Natalism is the belief that having many children and raising large families is morally or economically important. Natalist pressure comes from many sources but is most commonly found in political and religious contexts. Both governments and religious leaders have a vested interest in encouraging their followers to reproduce, resulting in larger numbers of citizens or members of a religion in coming generations. For this reason, natalism is sometimes associated with conservative religious views or authoritarian governments.

Despite a rise in natalist policies in many Western nations, birth rates have continued to drop. Some prospective parents avoid having children because of economic difficulties. Others worry that they will not be able to manage an acceptable work-life balance while raising children or that larger populations may exacerbate the symptoms of global climate change or other large-scale problems. Though governments work to ease these anti-natalist sentiments, they have seen limited success.

Background

Natalism is the belief that society benefits from a high birthrate. For this reason, natalism tends to promote marriage and encourage couples to have large numbers of children. It may also shame childless couples, arguing that they have an obligation to contribute to society by producing and raising children. Many natalists fear that the population of many countries has begun to decline and argue that young people may need additional encouragement to produce children.

Natalism can take many forms, and natalist pressure comes from many parts of society. Natalist pressure commonly comes from religious sources. Many prominent world religions, including subsects of Christianity, encourage their members to have large families. Some religions also discourage or forbid the use of birth control. More extreme religions may try to force women into the role of mother, teaching girls that a woman’s primary job is to raise a family. Other religions state that large families are blessings from God or tied to higher social standing, thus encouraging families to have more children.

Natalist pressure can also come from governments and political parties. Some governments believe that larger populations are necessary for securing military or political power. For this reason, they may provide financial incentives to families with more children or financial penalties to families with fewer children. They may also portray childbearing as a form of nationalistic responsibility or patriotic service.

In some cases, natalist activists may seek to remove the rights of women to further their own causes. For example, they may believe that women should be unable to engage in life pursuits other than childbearing or domestic duties, forbidding them from entering the workforce. They may restrict access to birth control or abortion in the hopes that the removal of these measures will result in greater rates of childbirth.

Overview

Throughout the twenty-first century, natalist movements have grown in many parts of the world. Regardless, many nations, such as the United States, Russia, and China, have experienced significant reductions in birthrates. These reductions may cause complications for society as populations age. Most notably, they will result in a significantly smaller workforce as well as a notable demographic shift as more of the nation's populations become older. Additionally, some nations worry that this shift may result in a reduction in the number of available soldiers in the event of an unexpected war, reducing their overall military power. To counter this process, many nations have begun encouraging citizens to have more children.

Experts have proposed numerous reasons for the overall reduction in family size throughout much of the world. In surveys, many young people stated that the process of having and raising children was too expensive for them. They worried that they would not be able to afford to care for children or that the medical costs associated with childbirth could cause them significant financial difficulties. Many parents stated that they would like to have more children but that they could not afford to care for additional dependents. Other prospective parents noted that their employers did not offer enough paid family leave or that they already struggled to find time to raise their current dependents and hold a job.

Some prospective parents avoided having children because of their perceptions of the world. They worried that forces such as global climate change and international instability would render the world inhospitable or otherwise unsuitable for future children. Other prospective parents stated that they were worried about overpopulation or that additional people existing on Earth would be harmful to the planet. Still others stated that, without governmental financial assistance or access to childcare services, their work-life balance would not allow them to be effective parents.

Natalism addresses these policies through a variety of approaches. Natalists may offer financial assistance for parents that increases based on the number of children they have, encouraging parents to continue to have children. Other programs offer increased maternity leave, government-subsidized childcare, and additional funding for children’s education. These policies make the process of raising children easier for parents, likely encouraging them to continue to have children throughout much of their lives.

Some nations, such as Singapore, experienced a slight but significant increase in fertility rates after the introduction of natalist government policies. However, these measures were sometimes unpopular with citizens, who viewed them as overly controlling. These citizens believed that the government heavily encouraging childbirth was a form of government overreach and that the government should be less concerned with their personal lives. Additionally, many citizens lack faith that their government will continue to economically support parents throughout their child-raising years. If parents choose to have children while depending on government assistance and that assistance is revoked, they may face severe economic difficulties. Though many governments have worked to overcome this negative perception, the process of changing public opinion is often slow and difficult.

Bibliography

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Cain Miller, Claire. “Americans Are Having Fewer Babies. They Told Us Why.” The New York Times, 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/07/05/upshot/americans-are-having-fewer-babies-they-told-us-why.html. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025.

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