The Lexicographical Utility Function of Fertility Decisions and Humboldt’s Political Principles of the State

Gerhard Scheuerer ()
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Gerhard Scheuerer: University of Erfurt

A chapter in The University According to Humboldt, 2015, pp 11-37 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract This essay bases on researches at the University of Erfurt. The research complies with Humboldt’s picture “public cultural bureaucracy should refrain as far as possible from research and science” as treated in other dues of this series. The essay deals with reproduction behavior. Based on Wilhelm von Humboldt’s state liberalism, basic problems and difficulties of the prevailing Theory of the Family are characterized. The lack of comprehensive empirical economic family and fertility models including political procedures are criticized. On this account, actual family policies walk in the dark in many countries and especially in Germany. Economic and social variables deciding on fertility have changed more or less completely over time. Transition in Germany gives a favorable background to come back to a complete look at empirically founded variables of fertility. The investigation focuses on demographical changes, caused by changed reproduction, economic and social behaviors, and combines different explanations about variables that influence fertility. The basic assumption of the economics of the family considering opportunity costs when deciding on giving birth to children can be corroborated only to a certain extent.

Keywords: Economics of the family; Fertility; Opportunity cost; Reproduction behavior; Economic behavior; Social behavior; Thuringia; Political principles of the state; Liberalism; Wilhelm von Humboldt B23; B41; B23; B41 C51; J 13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:spbchp:978-3-319-13856-5_3

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-13856-5_3

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