This book aims to explore two crucial questions concerning the different
patterns of fertility rates and women’s participation rates in Europe: Why
are fertility and participation so different across countries? Why have
fertility rates continued to decline in Southern Europe (where women’s
participation rates are very low) but have grown in Nordic Europe (where
participation rates are relatively high)? The decline of fertility has
important implications: low fertility reduces the potential sustainability of
the pension system, and implies lower growth as well as lower savings. Anunderstanding of the relationship between participation and fertility istherefore relevant in ways which go beyond theoretical speculations.