Is Education Always Reducing Fertility? Evidence from Compulsory Schooling Reforms
Level 2 - randomized trial
Quasi-experimental natural experiment (by design analogy, exploiting compulsory schooling reforms)
OpenAlex W2411634914 · doi:10.1111/ecoj.12394
What was done
The authors examined the causal relationship between education and fertility by exploiting compulsory schooling reforms implemented in England and Continental Europe between 1936 and 1975. Outcomes evaluated were the number of biological children and the incidence of childlessness.
What was found
The abstract does not provide specific numerical estimates. It reports a negative relationship between education and fertility in England, but notes that this relationship was not found in Continental Europe, where additional education did not reduce biological children or increase childlessness.
Why it matters
This study shows that the fertility-reducing effect of increased schooling is context-dependent across European regions rather than a universal pattern.
Limits
The abstract reports no sample sizes, effect sizes, standard errors, or specific Continental European countries studied. The results reflect historical reforms at the compulsory schooling margin and may not generalize to higher education or contemporary cohorts.
Cited by
- partial Increasing primary or compulsory basic schooling has a causal negative effect on fertility, but expansion of tertiary (higher) education does not have a demonstrated causal effect reducing fertility.