Public debt and future liabilities (Social Security, Medicare) may discourage fertility because when young people have children who will be heavily taxed to pay for aging populations, their own utility from having children is reduced, making them more likely to choose non-taxable goods like art instead.

causalpending

Speaker

Luigi Zingales

Evidence Quote

if the kid is heavily tax my utility is tax as well and so I'm more likely to opt for a painting that is not going to be tax rather than the kids that is STX

Source

The Fertility Crisis: Capitalism's Next Challenge, with Sir Niall FergusonStigler Center
Created: 8/11/2026, 7:34:44 AM

My Notes

Loading notes...