Value of Children and the social production of welfare

This article describes the origins of the Value of Children (VOC) approach to the cross-cultural research on fertility behavior around the Pacific Rim, and critically discusses its shortcomings at this stage. This article then demonstrates how the approach derives its theoretical coherence from the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Demographic research 2014, Vol.30, p.1793-1824
Main Author: Nauck, Bernhard
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Child labor
Child rearing
Child welfare
Children
Children & youth
Competition
cross-cultural research
Crosscultural Differences
cultural framing
Decision making models
Demography
Descendants
Economic aspects
Economic models
Economic Theories
Economic theory
Economic value
Families & family life
Fertility
Function
intergenerational relations
Intergenerational relationships
Methodological Individualism
Parenthood
Parents
Parents & parenting
Production functions
Research Article
Social aspects
Social Function
Social science research
Social theories
Society
Studies
Task forces
value of children
Values
welfare production
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Summary:This article describes the origins of the Value of Children (VOC) approach to the cross-cultural research on fertility behavior around the Pacific Rim, and critically discusses its shortcomings at this stage. This article then demonstrates how the approach derives its theoretical coherence from the theory of social production functions, making reference to empirical evidence. The VOC approach combines a multi-level and action-oriented theoretical model of generative behavior based on the principles of methodological individualism with the welfare maximizing assumptions derived from social production function theory, to create a comprehensive explanatory program. The VOC approach extends economic theories of fertility: Whereas traditional economic theories emphasize the costs of children, the VOC approach also encompasses the supply side of children, i.e., the benefits children bring to their parents under variable social and economic conditions.
ISSN:1435-9871
2363-7064
1435-9871
DOI:10.4054/DemRes.2014.30.66