[wisconsiway]

2) holds sway here mainly to the extent that it applies to young women. Last time I looked hard at the literature the only conclusion that replicated was that more women in the workforce and higher education => lower TFR. Countries like Russia, Hungary, and some East Asian democracies have tried subsidizing childrearing, reducing the cost of housing, making healthcare free, etc. Those measures have an impact, but it is small. The only thing that works long-term is making it high status again to have children and raise a family.

[29athrowaway]

In the baby boomer era, high school was enough to get a good paying job that could support a family.

[wisconsiway]

Fertility is not a problem in many developing countries where salaries are far, far less than that. Men and women have reproduced above replacement level for literally millions of years. It's primarily a question of status and social approval.

[StrLght]

> <...> in many developing countries where salaries are far, far less than that

So is cost of living -- these two tend to be correlated.