On the one hand, you see the advent of the knowledge-based economy, which devalues the physical skills of men and gives unprecedented opportunities to women. On the other hand, the culture has not evolved to permit men to become subordinate spouses. Under these conditions, of course you are going to have fewer babies. Why would women agree to be the primary wage-earner and do the bulk of the household chores and the nurturing?
The right has opted for three different solutions to this problem. On occasion, it has swallowed its principles and authorized more public spending to support families. The peculiar MAGA cocktail of tariffs and deportations is intended to lead to the Godly Society, which will bring back supposedly manly manufacturing jobs and permit women to stay home and have babies. Finally, there is the coercion option. By all accounts, we are starting to see that in China; expect that to intensify in the years to come.
You will note that what is missing here is the obvious solution–to encourage men to do more work around the house. That is because the right’s identity is soaked in testosterone and traditional gender roles. The right cannot advocate for an approach that might actually work without destroying its own self-image.