Between the Tempo Effect and the Quantum Effect : An Analysis of the Impact of Family Policies on Fertility in Developed Countries
This article is in line with literature reviews that focus on the impact of family policies on fertility. It recalls that policies can 1) affect the quantum of births, 2) affect the tempo of births, 3) have no effect on fertility. While demonstrating the heterogeneous effect of family policies on fertility, the author argues that cash transfers (in the form of grants and tax credits) and child care are associated with a quantum effect, whereas premiums at births are associated with a tempo effect. The article concludes by showing that beyond work-family conciliation, it is the extent to which mothers are freed from the obligation to perform care work, an idea conceptualised as “dématernalitsation”, that has the most influence on fertility.