American socialists have fewer children on average than conservatives. A report from the Institute for Family Studies (IFS) shows that the fertility gap between liberals and conservatives is an increasingly pronounced feature of demographic development.
According to the report, conservatives have an average of 1.4 children, while liberals have 1.09 children. 51 per cent of those who identify as liberal state that they have no children, while the proportion of childless conservatives is 40 per cent.
Socialists struggle with their mental health
The report is based on a survey of 7,000 Americans aged 18 to 54. The differences are statistically significant even after controlling for sex, religion, ethnicity, income, age, marital status and education.
When asked about the size of the ideal family, conservatives answer an average of 2.71 children, moderates 2.43 and liberals 2.16.
The gap between the ideologies has grown in recent decades and, according to IFS, can no longer be explained solely by differing degrees of religiosity. Different views of parenthood and attitudes that may affect fertility are also highlighted:
- 18 per cent of liberals are unsure whether they would be good parents, compared with only nine per cent of conservatives.
- 36 per cent of liberals regard parenthood as «very complicated, difficult and stressful», compared with 24 per cent of conservatives.
- Between 18 and 19 per cent of liberals cite mental health as an obstacle to having children, while only ten per cent of conservatives report struggling with mental health problems.
- More liberals worry about passing on «bad genes» or hereditary conditions to their children.
The findings are consistent with previous IFS analyses showing that conservative women both want and have more children, as well as marrying earlier.
The ideological fertility gap has become more pronounced in recent decades and is also reflected geographically: Areas that vote more conservatively generally have higher birth rates.
