Birth rates fall when infant mortality falls, which tends to coincide with societies getting richer.
At the same time, countries tend to get richer when their birth rates fall, as people are spending their time working to produce economic value instead of having kids.
Compare say France, with a fertility rate of 1.82 and a GDP per capita of $43k to South Korea with a fertility rate of 0.88 and a GDP per capita of $42k.
Do not mistake correlation with causation. And do not mistake society getting richer with the individuals in a society having more access to the time and space necessary for raising a family.
At the same time, countries tend to get richer when their birth rates fall, as people are spending their time working to produce economic value instead of having kids.
Compare say France, with a fertility rate of 1.82 and a GDP per capita of $43k to South Korea with a fertility rate of 0.88 and a GDP per capita of $42k.
Do not mistake correlation with causation. And do not mistake society getting richer with the individuals in a society having more access to the time and space necessary for raising a family.