France’s Unique Approach to Boosting Birth Rates

France is trying an unconventional method to encourage younger people to have children: personal letters. The government plans to send messages to 29-year-olds, especially targeting women, emphasizing the importance of their biological clocks and the need to procreate before it’s too late. The health ministry states that hundreds of thousands of young French citizens will receive letters containing “targeted, balanced and scientifically based information on sexual and reproductive health” to help reduce the risk of the “if only I had known” sentiment.

While I appreciate the creativity, I can’t help but wonder: will these letters actually make a difference?

My instinct says probably not. Historically, government policies, including things like tax incentives, haven’t really reversed the decline in fertility rates in affluent, educated nations. I mean, would letters really change anything?

If, say, the U.S. government were to send similar correspondence promoting sex and childbearing, I’d guess a sizable portion of the population would view it as an intrusive overreach by the state. Meanwhile, parents might welcome it, and others would just shrug it off.

It’s tough to admit, but honestly, I don’t think it’s feasible to raise fertility rates to the post-World War II baby boom levels through any form of government intervention. In the U.S., the prevailing culture seems to prioritize delaying parenthood. Many people seem to focus on careers and personal spending rather than starting families. This mindset is unlikely to shift any time soon.

Speaking from my own experience, my wife and I have been married for over six months. We haven’t decided to have kids yet, as we’re focused on buying a house first to have more room. I suspect many couples or young families in similar situations feel the same way.

So, yes, this is a cultural issue, but it also ties back to concerns about housing availability and costs. Many people don’t feel secure about their futures anymore. There’s a widespread belief that the past decade has changed everything and that the prosperous American middle class of the post-war era was more of an exception than the norm.