Life /
Neoliberalism and family formation in Poland [100]
Yeah. Working getting in the way of starting a family for women began sometime in the late 90s
Which is why it really doesn't matter what Paulina's or Lenka's mom or grandma did.
Eastern Europe, in general, is very special. You don't see a gradual tapering off in fertility rates like in the developed West, but an abrupt collapse between 1989-1991. The social tumult, and plunge into poverty delayed or entirely cancelled many people's family plans. By the time the situation stabilized, a huge demographic chasm had formed.
Hard not to see that the childless people have more time and money. Having kids take sacrifice.
Only up to a certain level. If you start approaching the level of truly high net worth, or ultra high net worth, then people again have many kids. In fact, in a lot of top firms, like Goldman Sachs (to use a finance example) or Sullivan Cromwell (law), there's an invisible glass barrier against all guys that are not married or don't have kids. It's a symptom of other underlying undesirable traits.
You simply don't get invited to some functions if you don't have a wife. The only acceptable excuse is being gay.
So much of conversation revolves around kids, as well as so much of the vacation travel. If you don't have kids - again, you're not invited.
You can't really grow beyond a certain point in politics or business if you are not married or have kids (while being straight, which I am).
So the working and middle class maybe eating itself up over kids being a burden and a chore, but the upper class certainly is still very conservative.
