Alice Evans

Indeed, thank you so much.

Indeed, thank you so much.

Okay, so fertility is collapsing everywhere all at once, perhaps with the exception of sub-Saharan Africa, where rates are still very high. But across Latin America, the Middle East, North Africa, all those trends are going sharply downwards. And

Okay, so fertility is collapsing everywhere all at once, perhaps with the exception of sub-Saharan Africa, where rates are still very high. But across Latin America, the Middle East, North Africa, all those trends are going sharply downwards. And

And economically, this has catastrophic implications for middle income countries, because as you have an aging population, then older people typically have lower rates of labor force participation. They're less economically productive. You know, it's the young people who are. you know, innovative, productive, starting up new companies.

And economically, this has catastrophic implications for middle income countries, because as you have an aging population, then older people typically have lower rates of labor force participation. They're less economically productive. You know, it's the young people who are. you know, innovative, productive, starting up new companies.

But as the entire economy ages, then it becomes more sluggish. And those younger people, either through savings or taxes, need to pay for elderly health care or pension costs or provisions. And that then creates a massive fiscal squeeze because governments or individuals need to spend a higher amount of their money given those rising dependency rates.

But as the entire economy ages, then it becomes more sluggish. And those younger people, either through savings or taxes, need to pay for elderly health care or pension costs or provisions. And that then creates a massive fiscal squeeze because governments or individuals need to spend a higher amount of their money given those rising dependency rates.

And if we're concerned with things like climate change mitigation, the governments just won't have enough money to spend on extra costs if you're spending more on old people. And on top of this, if younger people are saving more, as they are in China, then they're going to be spending less. So that has a knock-on effect on the entire economy.

And if we're concerned with things like climate change mitigation, the governments just won't have enough money to spend on extra costs if you're spending more on old people. And on top of this, if younger people are saving more, as they are in China, then they're going to be spending less. So that has a knock-on effect on the entire economy.

So I think fertility and women's choices and men's choices about how many children they want, that's always come up in my interviews because I'm always interested, you know, what do you want to do for your life? So I've got so much data on this going back for the past 15 years. You know, when I was in Zambia, women would always encourage me to have another baby. Oh, you must have a baby.

So I think fertility and women's choices and men's choices about how many children they want, that's always come up in my interviews because I'm always interested, you know, what do you want to do for your life? So I've got so much data on this going back for the past 15 years. You know, when I was in Zambia, women would always encourage me to have another baby. Oh, you must have a baby.

You must have a baby. That was so imperative for them.

You must have a baby. That was so imperative for them.

So I was constantly pestered. And then I think in East Asia, in South Korea, where I was looking at the data so intensely and I was having so many of my interviews and I just realized it was so omnipresent. And then I looked at the data more broadly. So I think going to South Korea is really what fertility pilled me, so to speak.

So I was constantly pestered. And then I think in East Asia, in South Korea, where I was looking at the data so intensely and I was having so many of my interviews and I just realized it was so omnipresent. And then I looked at the data more broadly. So I think going to South Korea is really what fertility pilled me, so to speak.

And you see it in Italy, too. For example, when you get off the train in Rome, you see the pet store rather than the kids store.

And you see it in Italy, too. For example, when you get off the train in Rome, you see the pet store rather than the kids store.

Yeah, I mean, I would say one more thing. I suppose one aspect of me as a sort of social scientist is I teach on international development. So I'm very interested in economic outcomes and how we can all become richer, the sort of abundance idea. But I also study culture. So it's the interconnection between all these economic consequences of our cultural choices.

Yeah, I mean, I would say one more thing. I suppose one aspect of me as a sort of social scientist is I teach on international development. So I'm very interested in economic outcomes and how we can all become richer, the sort of abundance idea. But I also study culture. So it's the interconnection between all these economic consequences of our cultural choices.