Billionaires demand more babies but make parenthood unaffordable

Al JazeeraCenterEN 6 min read 100% complete by Raphael Tsavkko GarciaJanuary 16, 2026 at 11:59 AM
Billionaires demand more babies but make parenthood unaffordable

AI Summary

long article 6 min

Billionaires like Elon Musk are publicly calling for increased birth rates, but their economic policies contribute to making parenthood unaffordable. Across Europe, real wages have stagnated while the cost of housing, childcare, and basic living expenses have risen, leading to a decline in fertility rates. The article argues that low birth rates are a predictable outcome of an economic system where people are underpaid and overworked. These same figures who lament demographic decline also advocate for policies like wage restraint and deregulation, which exacerbate the financial strain on families. The article suggests that these policies create an environment where having children becomes economically irrational for many households.

Keywords

parenthood affordability 90% low birthrates 90% cost of living 80% wage stagnation 70% economic model 70% elon musk 60% fertility rate 60% real wages 60% economic inequality 50%

Sentiment Analysis

Very Negative
Score: -0.60

Source Transparency

Source
Al Jazeera
Political Lean
Center (0.00)
Far LeftCenterFar Right
Classification Confidence
90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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