The real crisis behind falling birthrates is a loss of hope

As the press is telling us more and more, across much of the world, fewer people are choosing to have children. Economists warn of shrinking workforces. Politicians talk of national decline. But birthrates are not only an economic indicator. As Pope Francis once put it , “The birth rate is the first indicator of the hope of a people.” And hope, its absence, is the deeper crisis behind our demographic decline.

The current conversation in Washington, from billionaires to think tanks, has been about incentives and subsidies. The Heritage Foundation — close to the current administration — is reportedly advocating a “Manhattan Project” for babies. Vice President Vance and Elon Musk have joined the chorus, calling for policies to incentivize families to have more children. Their proposals h