Almost ninety percent of the world’s population now live in countries with falling marriage rates. In the U.S., marriage has declined by sixty percent since the nineteen seventies, while the median age for first marriages has increased for both men and women. Expert Brad Wilcox, talking with the Institute for Family Studies, says the changing economy is a major factor. In countries where marriage and childbirth are highly correlated, there are major economic implications due to aging populations and far fewer births.
Marriage is the foundational institution of every society. It’s the very best place for children, the future of every country, to be born and grow up. It’s the best wealth-producing engine we have. Countries, including the United States, need to embrace marriage and begin encouraging it and incentivizing it, rather than disparaging it.
