THE FALL OF THE BIRTH-RATE n 



future cannot be certain if the birth-rate continue to 

 decrease. 



(3) The marriage-rate showed an abrupt, but not 

 a persistent fall. In so far as this goes, it suggests that 

 the fall in the birth-rate is due rather to a fall in the 

 productivity of married couples than to a fall in the 

 proportion of married couples to the population. 



TABLE II. 



Decrease in the birth-rate in various countries ; 

 data from Statistique Internationale. 



Average annual births Decrease per 



per 1000 at all ages cent - of tne 



x s rate in 1901-10 



Country 1871-80 1901-10 on 1871-80 



England 35-4 27-2 23 



Scotland 34-9 28-4 19 



Ireland 26-5 23-3 12 



Denmark 31-4 28-6 9 



Norway 31-0 27-4 12 



Sweden 30-5 25-8 15 



Finland 37-0 31-2 16 



Austria 39-0 34-7 1 1 



Switzerland 30-7 26-9 12 



German Empire 39-1 32-9 16 



Netherlands 36-2 30-5 16 



Belgium 32-3 26-1 19 



France 25-4 20-6 19 



Italy 36-9 32-7 ii 



Serbia 40-5 38-9 4 



Australia 36* I 26-5 27 



New Zealand 40-5 26-8 34 



Before dealing with this last point in more detail, 

 turn to Table II which shows how widespread how 

 almost universal is the phenomenon with which \\e 

 have to deal. The table compares the average birth- 

 rate for the decade 1901-10 with that for the decade 

 1871-80 and gives the percentage decrease; in no 

 case cited in the table- is then- an increase. The fall in 

 our own country (23 per cent.) is only exceeded by 

 that in Australia (27 per cent.) and in New Zealand 



