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The Child Quantity–Quality Trade-off

Author

Listed:
  • Guo, Rufei

    (Wuhan University)

  • Yi, Junjian

    (Peking University)

  • Zhang, Junsen

    (Zhejiang University)

Abstract

This chapter reviews the growing literature on the child quantity–quality (QQ) trade-off. During the transition from the traditional agricultural economy to modern economic growth, household real income increases, fertility decreases, and human capital investment per child increases. Motivated by this observation, economists started to develop theoretical models of the child QQ trade-off in the 1970s. Macroeconomic models that theoretically incorporate the QQ trade-off flourish. As a parallel development, empirical studies exploit multiple sources of exogenous variations in family size, such as twin births, child sex composition, and family planning policies, to identify the causal effect of fertility on child quality. Dialogues between theoretical and empirical analyses should empower future research on the child QQ trade-off.

Suggested Citation

  • Guo, Rufei & Yi, Junjian & Zhang, Junsen, 2022. "The Child Quantity–Quality Trade-off," IZA Discussion Papers 15233, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
  • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp15233
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    demographic transition; fertility; child human capital investment; child quantity-quality trade-off;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D10 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - General
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth

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