The main idea of this article is that the quest for happiness, and the compatibility between happiness and childbearing, is the “commonality” (Caldwell and Schindlmayr 2003) that may bring an understanding of fertility diff erences in contemporary advanced societies in Europe and North America. This commonality is double-sided, in a causal sense. On the one hand, happiness is a crucial determinant of childbearing. On the other, having children is one of the ways to reach happiness. As far as country diff erences are concerned, societies with lowest low and very low fertility are characterized by a low compatibility between happiness and childbearing.
The happiness commonality: fertility decisions in low-fertilitysettings
BILLARI, FRANCESCO CANDELORO
2009
Abstract
The main idea of this article is that the quest for happiness, and the compatibility between happiness and childbearing, is the “commonality” (Caldwell and Schindlmayr 2003) that may bring an understanding of fertility diff erences in contemporary advanced societies in Europe and North America. This commonality is double-sided, in a causal sense. On the one hand, happiness is a crucial determinant of childbearing. On the other, having children is one of the ways to reach happiness. As far as country diff erences are concerned, societies with lowest low and very low fertility are characterized by a low compatibility between happiness and childbearing.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.