French exception: Experts ponder high birth rate

Reuters ^ | April 26 2006 | Anna Willard

[bondjamesbond]

Children are a lifetime responsibility and liability. They are a staggering burden and life's greatest blessing. Compared to all that, a 59 cent medal from your local government official is worth just about nothing.

[dennisw]

btt

[Malesherbes]

You put your finger precisely on the missing variable in this article. France, by law, refuses to collect any census data on religious affiliation. Anecdotal information clearly suggests that the highest per capita contributors to the birth rate are Moslems.

[austinTparty]

Speculation, and based on wrong assumptions at that. First of all, it is illegal in France to keep statistics based on race or religion, so it's nearly impossible to have an accurate number. However, you are obviously unfamiliar with French culture---it is seen as a mark of success to have 3 or more children (i.e. you're doing well enough to afford it). French women tend to keep working even with larger families, but it is common for women to work only Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday to accomodate the children's school schedule (long days on school on only those 4 days). France is in many ways an extremely family-oriented culture: the Sunday dinner with the extended family is widely practiced, grandparents very often help with childcare, and a Frenchman or woman is not really considered an adult by his/her parents until he or she has children of his/her own. The "Livret de Famille" (Family Book, with room for 6 children in the standard version, incidentally) is the most important official document, not your passport, driver's license or personal id card.

So the answer is, yes, naturally, Muslims have a reasonably high birth rate (but this is not all Muslims, this applies mainly to the headscarf-wearing variety, which is by no means all of them), but so does the Franco-french population (les franco-français).

Government handouts don't account for it (after all, those paltry payments in no way cover the cost of raising a child for most people). What these researchers fail to note imho when looking at all their baffling statistics is the presence of a culture that encourages having children.

[milwguy]

I have been to France more than once my friend, and not just Paris, I have an employee whose sister lives in France so I also get insight from her. The fact it is illegal to keep statistics based on race or ethnicity or religion is not lost on me, it does not disprove my point however. It is common knowledge that we have 11 million or more illegals in the USA, yet we do not make them register themselves. The Muslim population of France via Algeria, and the other North African countries has exploded in the last 40 years, and anyone denying the reality of modern islamic France is deluding themselves.

[milwguy]

I have been to France more than once my friend, and not just Paris, I have an employee whose sister lives in France so I also get insight from her. The fact it is illegal to keep statistics based on race or ethnicity or religion is not lost on me, it does not disprove my point however. It is common knowledge that we have 11 million or more illegals in the USA, yet we do not make them register themselves. The Muslim population of France via Algeria, and the other North African countries has exploded in the last 40 years, and anyone denying the reality of modern islamic France is deluding themselves.

[Vicomte13]

We should not forget that the American white fertility rate is 1.8.

[austinTparty]

I live there.

[goldstategop]

The higher birth in France is primarily from Muslim immigrants. Native French are reproducing below population replacement levels. Europe is still is in a demographic death spiral and yes, this includes France. French women would have to bear four children per family just to replenish the population levels and the welfare state doesn't create any economic incentives to reproduce. If you don't believe me, just look at the dust-up over the now canceled CPE law this spring.

(Denny Crane: "Every one should carry a gun strapped to their waist. We need more - not less guns.")

[Vicomte13]

And America is in the same boat.

The fertility rate of white American women is 1.8, below replacement rate. American population growth is driven by immigration, and the children of immigrants.

[Nikkiba]

The point about the Muslim population is valid, but from my observations, French women seem baby-crazy, too. This brings me to something else I’ve noticed — French women seem to validate themselves more through having children and family than, perhaps, their American or British counterparts. Can’t say that I’ve met many — or any! — independent, career-minded, free-spirited, single and happy to be so, French women. And, I’ve lived in France nearly five years.