Freedom, Not Fertility, Is the Key to Economic Growth

Is America’s declining fertility rate “the root cause of most of our problems”? This was the bold claim made recently by conservative writer Jonathan Last in the Wall Street Journal. Other conservative pundits have echoed this theme. New York Times columnist Ross Douthat recently pleaded for, “More Babies, Please” to maintain our economic growth. In the Weekly Standard, Joel Kotkin and Harry Siegel warned of “soaring entitlement costs and diminished economic vigor” if America remains a “low fertility society.” All of these conservatives have identified genuine economic challenges facing America. But if we wish America to thrive economically, the government’s job should be to protect freedom, not promote fertility.