Panel: The Baby Bust and the Free Society

Are declining fertility rates hazardous to a flourishing society?  Today, more than half of countries (encompassing 2/3rds of the global population) have sub-replacement fertility rates and many governments are taking action. But the reasons for declining fertility are varied and complex and the baby bust is proving resistant to public policy efforts to reverse the trend. This panel will examine reasons for the decline, discuss why public policies to incentivize childbearing have had anemic results at best, and will explore the various obstacles people face in passing on the gift of life to future generations.

Panelists

Daniel Hugger - Librarian and Research Associate

Stephen Barrows, Ph.D. - Chief Operating Officer Acton Institute

Tim Carney -  Senior Columnist Washington Examiner

Carroll A. Rios de Rodríguez -  Presidente Instituto Fe y Libertad

Course Year:

2026