Transition and Fertility in Central and Eastern Europe

Abstract: Shortly after the start of the transition from planned to market economy in Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, an overall drastic fertility decrease began in all the countries of this region. This thesis focuses on the theoretical and empirical connection between transition and fertility. With the use of Gary Becker´s New Home Economics as a theoretical framework, fer­tility data from the transition countries and other parts of Europe is studied in order to discuss demographic changes and developments in a short, medium and long run. It is concluded that short term fertility falls most likely were caused or triggered by the shock effects of the transition. Fertility developments in a medium or long term seem to be affected mainly by state policies and norms influencing family life and work. The transition countries appear to be approaching the low-fertility countries in German-speaking and southern parts of Europe in terms of fertility trends, but it is likely that joint EU policies will gain more influence in the future and alter this development.