Quote Sal Paradise="Sal Paradise"In days gone by the rate of attrition for children was quite high - so that would also have to be considered. '"
Most genealogists come across large families in their tree very quickly.
My own paternal grandfather was one of eleven children who made it to adulthood (a further one died in infancy).
His father's brothers all had large families with a low-ish infant mortality.
By the next generation, birthrates dropped to three or four kids per family.
Granted, the infant mortality rate was higher in cities but families of 6 or 7 kids achieving adulthood were still commonplace until incomes and standards rose.
Quote Sal Paradise="Sal Paradise"...Regarding larger families if the welfare didn't exist as it does you would have significantly lower numbers of families with 6+ kids ...'"
Already countered by global studies.
The better the income and standard of living, the lower the reproductive rate.
What needs to change is the income and the standard of living ... upwards.
Quote Sal Paradise="Sal Paradise"...and I bet the numbers of young girls choosing single parenthood as a career would also fall significantly'"
How significant is it?
I don't mean just anecdotaly, like Cameron's pronouncemnts, but how many really?