Final answer:
The importance of children in the workforce affects birth and fertility rates significantly. In earlier times or less developed areas where children contribute to the family income, higher fertility rates are common. In contrast, in modern, industrialized societies, children are costly, leading to lower fertility rates, particularly as women's roles and economic concerns shift.
Step-by-step explanation:
The importance of children in the workforce has historically affected birth and fertility rates in various ways. In agricultural or less developed societies, children were often seen as economic assets, contributing to the family's labor and income. Thus, fertility rates tended to be higher to support the family's economic needs. However, in modern industrialized societies, children are commonly viewed as economic liabilities due to the costs of their upbringing and legal restrictions on child labor. As a consequence, fertility rates have declined. The change in the workforce, with increased participation of women seeking careers and higher levels of education, also corresponds with delayed childbirth and lower fertility rates.
Several factors are influencing declining fertility rates in the developed world, including the high cost of raising children, the necessity of parents working to fund child-rearing, and the advancement of women in the workforce, which has led to an increased focus on professional goals over starting families. Moreover, uncertainty and precarity in work life in places like the United States have led to smaller family sizes and fragile marriage bonds, reflecting not only economic but also social influences on fertility rates.
On a global level, high fertility rates often burden the poorest regions, where the local economies and resources are least able to support a growing population. Conversely, a declining population in more developed regions can lead to a workforce shortage, inadvertently creating opportunities for immigration. Laws requiring children to attend school further reduce their economic contribution to households, leading to decreased birth rates as children are no longer seen as contributors to family income.