Generation Zero

Why the World Is Running Out of Babies

Birth control and abortion now appear to have achieved their goal of ridding society of those pesky unwanted pregnancies. Declining global birthrates have reached a critical point, signaling a potential demographic crisis.

Fertility rates are plummeting rapidly worldwide, posing significant religious, economic, social and geopolitical challenges. This unexpected “baby bust” phenomenon is impacting primarily the Catholic Faith and every segment of society, irrespective of income, education or employment status.

The implications are profound, affecting lifestyle choices, economic projections and the global balance of power. Many nations have already plummeted below the replacement fertility rate of 2.2 children per woman.

Projections suggest that global population decline could begin within the next four decades, a rare historical event. Political leaders recognize this as a pressing issue with social vitality and long-term sustainability implications. Sadly, there is little news from the Vatican regarding this problem. In general, the clergy has turned a blind eye to abortion and contraception for decades, and governments worldwide are now initiating programs to address the declining fertility rates with little success.

The world’s population projections have evolved, and the Census Bureau’s projections have also shifted. They expect fertility rates to drop to 1.5 from the previous 2.0 estimate. This decline in fertility rates aligns with a broader global trend towards lower birth rates, indicating an unhealthy shift towards selfishness and individualism, resulting in a reduced emphasis on marriage, family and parenthood.

Scientific research has attempted to identify reasons for the ongoing decline in fertility rates. Despite analyzing various factors such as differences in state laws, parental abortion notification laws, unemployment rates, Medicaid availability, housing costs, contraceptive usage, religiosity, child-care costs and student debt, these factors explain almost nothing about the root cause.

Researchers speculate that this shift reflects profound societal changes that are extremely difficult to quantify accurately. This is because the cause is intrinsic to the human soul; it is a moral crisis in the individual resulting in cultural changes, not extrinsic factors to the family. Generally, families have always borne children, even through the most challenging upheavals in history.

Shifts in moral values, parents’ personal preferences and perceived difficulties, rather than the actual cost of raising children, highlight how spouses now prioritize building careers, engaging in leisure activities, and relationships outside the home versus childbearing. The fundamental familial principles are no longer “Go forth and multiply” but purely selfish considerations.

The global scenario presents a unique perspective. Even in countries like India, with below replacement fertility rates, factors such as poverty and traditional roles of each sex do not sustain fertility levels as expected. Urbanization and the internet have exposed women in traditionally male-dominated environments to societies where having fewer children and enjoying greater pleasure in life is the norm.

In a shifting trend, even Sub-Saharan Africa is now experiencing changes in fertility rates. The percentage of women using contraception among those of reproductive age increased from 17 to 23 percent in the last ten years. This shift can be attributed primarily to the efforts of African leaders promoting contraception and abortion that have accelerated the decline in fertility rates beyond U.N. projections.

Governments worldwide have grappled with declining fertility rates, implementing pronatalist policies in attempts to reverse the trend. Notably, Japan has undertaken various initiatives since the early 1990s, including parental leave and subsidized child care, yet fertility rates continue to fall.

Japan introduced free hospital maternity care and birth stipends that temporarily raised fertility rates from 1.26 to 1.45 over a period of years. However, the rates continue to decline, reaching 1.26 in 2022. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida recently unveiled a program offering monthly allowances to all children under 18, free college for families with three or more children and paid parental leave to encourage more births.

Financial incentives fall short of solving the problem, as couples must be motivated by the love of God to make the necessary sacrifice of having children. Free daycare, maternity leave and monthly allowances only appeal to the very cause of the problem—selfishness. Families will not have children solely based on monetary incentives.

Meanwhile, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been at the forefront of Europe’s natality agenda, granting tax benefits and subsidies to support mothers under 30 who have children. Although Hungary’s fertility rate has increased since 2010, challenges remain.

Republican Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio stresses the societal impact of declining fertility rates, emphasizing the importance of vibrant communities with happy children versus aging populations. He has explored Hungary’s strategies but has not found a proven long-term solution.

Despite efforts like pronatalist policies, research suggests that short-term boosts in fertility due to incentives seldom lead to increases in family size. This poses economic challenges as labor shortages persist post-pandemic, and shrinking youth populations strain healthcare and retirement systems.

Demographers warn of a potential “lost decade” for global economic growth due to worsening demographics. One may be inclined to think that increased immigration is a solution. However, issues arise as many countries continue to face stagnant populations.

Recent inflows of unskilled migrants entering illegally further complicate the situation. High levels of immigration have historically sparked resistance due to concerns about cultural and demographic shifts, and a declining native-born population is poised to escalate these worries.

As birthrates plummet, more regions face depopulation, leading to consequences like church, business, and school closures, which result in stagnant property values. Less selective colleges are already struggling to fill classrooms due to the sharp decline in birth rates since 2007. Rural hospitals also feel the strain of shrinking local populations that once provided patients and healthcare professionals.

A direct correlation exists between the loss of religious values and declining birth rates. The most significant shift away from religion has occurred among the American public. Historically, the U.S. claimed to be an example that economic modernization did not inevitably lead to secularization. It does. However, similar to most other affluent nations, the U.S. has been distancing itself from the practice of religious values at an alarming rate.

Numerous factors propel this trend, but the predominant force is the weakening influence of the Catholic Faith, which has always tied marriage to having children, not for personal pleasure. Denominations that have become more liberal have led to declining church memberships. The premise is that when a church aligns closely with morally relativistic, liberal, left-leaning and woke agendas, adherents are not compelled to participate actively or to make sacrifices to uphold the fundamental tenets of their faith.

Evidence of this shift can be seen in the decline of membership in many faiths, especially the Catholic Church. Through the weak and even contradictory teaching of the Catholic Faith by many leftist, liberal clergy, a more significant number of Catholics are divorced, re-“married,” practice contraception, favor same-sex “marriage,” cease going to Mass, do not believe in the Real Presence in Holy Communion or have abandoned their faith altogether.

This is the perfect storm that will produce Generation Zero.