Pro-natalist policy - France
Why did France enforce a pro-natalist policy?
- France suffered massively from world war one. They lost thousands of men and became even more underpopulated than they originally were - Before WW1, France was in a period of modernisation which included a growing economy. The population before WW1 in France was 41 million. After the war, the french army suffered around 6 million casualties, including 1.4 million dead and 4.2 million wounded, which further caused a significant decrease in population - In 1939, the pro-natalist policy was put into place, in order to attempt to improve France's falling fertility rate. Between 1872 and 1939 the annual birth rate fell from 24 to 14.6 per thousand of the population
Cons of the policy
- No significant fertility increase - £12.9 billion in debt, implicates welfare system - Population not predicted to exceed replacement level - Government claims it will reach 75 million by 2050 - An overcrowded and uncontrolled number of birth rates might impact the economy
Pros of the policy
- People have confidence in it, it has lasted for 60 years - Increases the child birth rate - Replaces the generations before - Helps the countries economic growth - It can solve peoples financial problems by having more than one child - Holidays were subsidised - Families get a 30% bus fare reduction
Incentives used to encourage families to have children
- The French government offered cash incentives (£1064) to mothers who stayed at home to care for their children - They also gave full tax benefits - Maternity leave on near full pay for 20 weeks for the first child to 40 weeks or more with the third child - Full tax benefits are given to parents until their youngest child reaches 18 - The french government also allowed free childcare to children aged 3 to when they start school - 30% reduction in public transport if 3 or more children - 100% mortgage 3 bedroom council flat
Overall success
- The policy is costing the government billions of euros on top of what it is costing the government to support the ageing population. - The UN is predicting that the population will not increase to the desired amount and analysts predict that France will not be able to raise their fertility rate above the replacement level. - However the french government still believe that they will be able to reach their goal of 75 million by 2050 using data thats been collected. - The high cost of the population seem relatively unsuccessful in the long run
Was the policy successful?
- The success of the policy is still a common debate. Frances fertility rate has increased rom 1.67in 1992to 1.98 today. Although the fertility rate has increased its still not at replacement level, which means the younger generations are not replacing the older generations. This can lead to an increase in young dependents population - The population is only supposed to increase 0.6 million between 2030 and 2050 - If the policy doesn't work then it could lead to France becoming bankrupt - France's current budget deficit of 7.5% its GDP and the current situation regarding the euro, the country could struggle to dun the policy in the near future - which would limits its success and ultimately result in the policy failing, worsening the issue of paying for the elderly's social care.
How has the fertility rate been increased?
- There is little evidence to suggest that some of the improvements to France's fertility rate is due to immigration and not due to the policy. - Although the immigrants that do arrive are generally of the child bearing age which means there is a possibility that their influence has increased the fertility rate. - However France's net migration is only 1.46 migrants per 1,000 of the population which wouldn't be high enough to effect the total fertility rate to the extent it has