MCDB 150 - Global Problems of Population Growth
Lecture 19 - Economic Motivations for Fertility. Data shows, consistently, that poor people have more children than rich people; economically speaking, children are an inferior good. Children are production goods because they do work, consumption goods because they are enjoyable, and investment goods because they support parents in old age. Jobs in the modern sector require education and health. To pay for this, parents have to focus their resources on fewer children. (from oyc.yale.edu)
| Lecture 19 - Economic Motivations for Fertility |
| Time | Lecture Chapters |
| [00:00:00] | 1. Children as Inferior Goods |
| [00:09:50] | 2. The Economics of Childbearing |
| [00:22:15] | 3. Children as Consumption Goods |
| [00:28:43] | 4. Children as Investment Goods |
| [00:37:55] | 5. Education and Maximizing Investment in Children |
| [00:50:46] | 6. Investing in Education |
| [00:57:01] | 7. The Process of Modernization |
| [01:06:19] | 8. Opportunity Costs of Childbearing for Modern Mothers |
| References |
| Lecture 19 - Economic Motivations for Fertility Instructor: Robert Wyman. Resources: Notes - Lecture 19 [pdf]. Transcript [html]. Audio [mp3]. Download Video [mov]. |
Go to the Course Home or watch other lectures: