American Harvard University economics professor Claudia Goldin pointed out that the main reason for the low birth rates in various countries worldwide is the gender imbalance in household responsibilities. Taking South Korea, the country with the lowest birth rate globally, as an example, Goldin mentioned that South Korean men spend approximately 3 hours less per day on household chores compared to women. This clearly indicates a significant disparity.
Goldin was awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Economics for her research on the outcomes of women in the labor market. She spent decades studying issues such as women’s income, labor force participation, and how family roles evolve over time.
The National Bureau of Economic Research in the United States published Goldin’s latest research report titled “Babies and the Macroeconomy” in December of last year.
In this report, Goldin straightforwardly stated that fertility rates have drastically declined in almost every country worldwide, although the timing of the decline varies, even among developed nations.
In Europe, Asia, and North America, some countries’ total fertility rates had dropped below the replacement level of 2.1 as early as the 1970s. However, in other countries, fertility rates remained high until the 1990s before sharply decreasing.
Goldin examined why some countries maintain a stable fertility rate of 1.6, while other countries (including South Korea, Japan, and Italy) have plummeted to levels below 1.3.
She pointed out that although economic development has reshaped the global workforce, in some countries, traditional gender roles within families have changed too slowly. South Korea stands out as the most prominent example highlighted in the report.
South Korea had a fertility rate of just 0.72 in 2023, significantly below the replacement level of 2.1. Despite the South Korean government’s attempts to reverse this trend through economic incentives, expanding parental leave, and subsidizing childcare, the results have been minimal.
Goldin’s research indicates that when the root issue lies in the daily structure of life, policies alone cannot solve the problem. In South Korea, even when women work full-time, they still bear a significant burden of household chores and childcare responsibilities. South Korean women spend an average of 2.8 hours more per day on household chores than men.
Analyzing the situation, Goldin noted that despite South Korea’s rapid economic growth since the 1960s, women in the country have attained higher education and employment positions, yet traditional gender role perceptions have not changed significantly. The stagnant progress towards gender equality in South Korean households led to the drastic decline in birth rates.
In a recent interview with The Washington Post, she stated, “When a country experiences such rapid economic growth, it does not give generations enough time to adapt to modern realities.”
She believes that Japan, Italy, and similar situations are comparable. In these countries, women spend around 3 hours more per day on household chores and childcare compared to men.
In contrast, countries with higher fertility rates like Sweden (1.7), the United States (1.7), and France (1.8), women spend, on average, 0.8 hours, 1.8 hours, and 1.5 hours more per day on household chores than men, respectively.
Goldin explained that these countries experienced gradual economic growth post-war, allowing societal norms enough time for change, thus maintaining relatively higher fertility rates.
She highlighted Sweden as a positive example. In Sweden, men and women share household and childcare responsibilities equally, while the government provides childcare services for children aged one and above. Goldin mentioned, “This is a personal and governmental division of labor, the closest to an ideal scenario.”