The Fall of the Birth-Rate: A Paper Read Before the Cambridge University Eugenics Society, 20 May 1920 (Classic Reprint)

Hook line: An insightful look at why birth rates fell in England and Wales, with data?driven analysis and historical context.

In this early 20th?century study, the author examines civil registration data from 1837 onward to explain changes in the birth rate. The work compares births, marriages, and deaths, notes how registration practices affect the numbers, and places the trends in a broader social and economic setting. It also considers occupational and district differences, and discusses how prices and other factors may influence fertility.

The book presents a careful interpretation of long?term trends, situating the pre?war period in England and Wales and highlighting the limits of the data. It combines tables, charts, and reasoned argument to argue that fertility is influenced by multiple factors, not a fixed national constant.

• How birth rates changed from the mid?19th century to the early 20th century


• The relationship between birth rate, marriage rate, and death rate


• Impacts of registration practices, social class, and occupation on fertility measures


• Possible links between prices, economic conditions, and fertility trends

Ideal for readers of demographic history, economic history, and early eugenics?era social science.