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An economic analysis of fertility

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Summary

In this article, the results of an empirical application for ten countries of Willis' economic theory of fertility are presented. In a further analysis for The Netherlands the model developed by Willis is confronted with some alternative models. It is concluded that among the models considered the Willis model is the most satisfactory one. However, in conformity with Leibenstein's propostition that economic factors are only relevant with respect to the question whether parents want more than two children, Willis' model proves to offer only an explanation for the question whether a married couple which has already two children wants to have a third child.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Economic Institute, University of Utrecht, and The Netherlands Interuniversity Demographic Institute, The Hague, The Netherland

    Jacques J. Siegers

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  1. Jacques J. Siegers
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He is indebted to Mr. F. Aldewereld and Mr. L.F.M. Groot for computational assistance and to Mr. T.J.J. Doodeman, Mrs. Y.K. Grift and Mr. J.J. Schippers for their comments on an earlier draft of this article.

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Siegers, J.J. An economic analysis of fertility. De Economist 135, 94–111 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01856705

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