Causes of Fertility Decline in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union II: Economic and Social Factors

Abstract

Part I of this study was devoted to an analysis of the influence of purely demographic factors such as age and sex composition and nuptiality on post-war trends in crude births in East European countries and the Soviet Union. It was shown that on the whole the influence of these factors did not change the broad picture of a rapid and marked fertility decline obtained from the simplest indices of measurement such as the crude birth rate and there is good evidence that observed trends in current fertility are a reflexion of real changes in family building habits. Having established as far as the data permit the extent of declines in genuine fertility attention in the present part of this study will be focused on the social and economic factors responsible for this demographic phenomenon. The principal objective is to examine the inter-relations between fertility and various economic and social characteristics. Secondly an attempt is made to reveal the motivations underlying the attitudes responsible for the observed fertility differentials. Thirdly the differentials are discussed in relation to changes in the structure of these populations during the period under review. In this way some idea can be obtained of the significance of the various contributory factors. Throughout the study answers to two basic questions are sought. Firstly whether the fertility differentials normally encountered in western societies also apply in the socialist system. And secondly whether there exist some special factors specific to the latter system which have contributed to observed fertility trends and if so how important they are. The analytical material presented here has been collected and collated from existing national statistical sources and from various special enquiries and surveys carried out in the countries concerned. These national investigations are partial and uncoordinated so that the data put together here are often heterogeneous and fragmentary. The following factors have been given special attention: urbanization and regional divergences socio-occupational differentials levels of education and income employment of women and housing conditions. A passing reference is made to several other variables. (excerpt)