Assuming the Decision of Having One (More) Child: The New Dimensions of the Post Communist Romanian Family
The first part of the paper analyzes the dynamics of
the total fertility rate both at the national and regional level, pointing
out the regional disparities in the distribution of this indicator. At the
same time, we also focus on the collapse of the number of live births,
on the changes in the fertility rate by birth rank, as well as on the
failure of acquiring the desired number of children. The second part
of the study centres upon a survey applied to urban families with 3
and more than 3 offspring. The preliminary analysis highlights the
fact that an increased fertility (more than 3rd rank) is triggered by the
parents’ above the average material condition and superior education.
The current situation of Romania, which is still passing through a
period of relatively rapid demographic changes, marked by numerous
convulsions, requires a new approach, in compliance with the recent
interpretations appropriate to a new post-transitional demographic
regime.
[1] Köppen, Katja, Second births in western Germany and France,
Demographic Research, volume 14, article 14, 2006, pp. 295-330.
[2] Samir, K.C., Barakat, B., Goujon, A., Skirbekk, V., Sanderson, W., and
Lutz, W., Projection of populations by level of educational attainment,
age, and sex for 120 countries for 2005‒2050. Demographic Research
22(15): 383‒472. doi: 10.4054/DemRes.2010.22.15, 2010.
[3] Goode, W.J., World changes in divorce patterns. New York: Yale
University Press, 1993.
[4] Salvini, S. and Vignoli, D., Times change: Women‘s and men‘s marital
disruption dynamics in Italy during a time of social transformations,
1970‒2003. Demographic Research 24(5): 145‒174, 2011. [5] Cigno, A., Economics of the family. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1991.
[6] Becker, G.S. (1993). A Treatise on the family. Enlarged edition.
Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.
[7] Hotz, V.J., Klerman, J.A., and Willis, R.J. (1997). The economics of
fertility in developed countries. In: Rosenzweig. M.R. and Stark, O.
(eds.). Handbook of population and family economics. Amsterdam:
Elsevier: 275‒347.
[8] Gough, M. and Noonan, M., A review of the motherhood wage penalty
in the United States. Sociology Compass 7(4): 328‒342.
doi:10.1111/soc4.12031, 2013.
[9] Matysiak, A., Interdependencies between fertility and women's labour
supply. Dordrecht: Springer. doi:10.1007/978-94-007-1284-3, 2011.
[10] Neyer, G., Welfare states, family policies, and fertility in Europe. In:
Neyer, G., Andersson, G., Kulu, H., Bernardi, L., and Bühler, C. (eds.).
The Demography of Europe. Dordrecht: Springer: 29‒53.
doi:10.1007/978-90-481-8978-6_3, 2013.
[11] Oláh, L. and Bernhardt, E., Sweden: Combining childbearing and
gender equality. Demographic Research 19(25): 1105‒1143.
doi:10.4054/DemRes. 2008.19.28, 2008.
[12] Lappegård, T., Family policies and fertility in Norway. European Journal
of Population 26(1): 99‒116. doi:10.1007/s10680-009-9190-1, 2010.
[13] Miettinen, A., Basten, S., Rotkirch, A., Gender equality and fertility
intentions revisited: Evidence from Finland. Demographic Research,
Volume 24, Article 20, Pages 469-496, http://www.demographicresearch.
org/Volumes/Vol24/20/ DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2011.24.20,
2011.
[14] Myrskylä, M., Kohler, H.-P., and Billari, F., Advances in development
reverse fertility declines. Nature 460: 741-743.
doi:10.1038/nature08230, 2009.
[15] Miettinen, A. and Rotkirch, A., Milloin on lapsen aika. Lastenhankinnan
aikeet ja esteet (When is the right time for children? Fertility intentions
and barriers). E/34. Helsinki: Population Research Institute, Family
Federation of Finland, 2008.
[16] Breton, D. and Prioux, F., Two children or three? Influence of family
policy and socio-demographic factors. Population (English Edition)
60(4): 415–445, 2005.
[17] Toulemon, L., Pailhé, A., and Rossier, C., France: High and stable
fertility. Demographic Research 19(16): 503‒556.
doi:10.4054/DemRes.2008.19.16.s, 2008.
[18] Kreyenfeld, M., ‘Time-squeeze, partner effect or self-selection? An
investigation into the positive effect of women’s education on second
birth risks in West Germany’, Demographic Research 7 (2), 2002.
[19] Kantorová, V., Education and entry into motherhood: The Czech
Republic during state socialism and the transition period (1970-1997).
Demographic Research Special Collection 3(10): 245-274.
doi:10.4054/DemRes.2004.S3.10, 2004.
[20] Thornton, A. and Philipov, D., Sweeping changes in marriage,
cohabitation and childbearing in Central and Eastern Europe: New
insights from the developmental idealism framework. European Journal
of Population 25(2): 123-156. doi:10.1007/s10680-009-9181-2, 2009.
[21] Thévenon, O., Family policies in OECD countries: A comparative
analysis. Population and Development Review 37(1): 57‒87.
doi:10.1111/j.1728-4457. 2011.00390.x, 2011.
[22] Kohler, H.-P., F. C. Billari, and J. A. Ortega. , The emergence of lowestlow
fertility in Europe during the 1990s, Population and Development
Review 28(4): 641–680, 2002.
[23] Mishtal, J. Z., Understanding low fertility in Poland: Demographic
consequences of gendered discrimination in employment and
postsocialist neoliberal restructuring. Demographic Research Volume
21, Article 20, pages 599-626, http://www.demographic-research.org/
Volumes/Vol21/20/ DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2009.21.20, 2009.
[24] Stein, P., Willen, S., Pavetic, M., Couples’ fertility decision-making.
Demographic Research, Volume 30, Article 63, pages 1697-1732,
http://www.demographic-research.org/Volumes/Vol30/63/ DOI:
10.4054/DemRes.2014.30.63, 2014.
[25] Kohlmann, A. and Kopp, J., Verhandlungstheoretische Modellierung
des Übergangs zu verschiedenen Kinderzahlen. Zeitschrift für
Soziologie 6(4): 258−274, 1997.
[26] Ott, N., Familienbildung und familiale Entscheidungsfindung aus
verhandlungstheoretischer Sicht. In: Wagner, G., Ott, N., and
Hoffmann-Nowotny, H.-J. (eds.). Familienbildung und Erwerbstätigkeit
im demographischen Wandel. Berlin: Springer: 97−116.
doi:10.1007/978-3-642-83989-4_7, 1989.
[27] Caplescu, R., Using the theory of planned behaviour to study fertility
intentions in Romania. Procedia Economics and Finance, 7th Internatioal
Conference on Applied Statistics, 2014.
[28] Ajzen, I., The Theory of Planned Behaviour. Organisational Behavior
and Human Decision Processes, 50, pages 179-211, 1991.
[29] Fishbein, M., Ajzen, I., Predicting and changing behaviour. Psychology
(Vol. 3, page 79), 2010.
[30] Jaba, E., Robu, I-B. , “Explorarea statistica a pietei de audit în scopul
aprecierii independentei auditorului”, Audit Financiar, 9(6), 28-36,
2011.
[31] Benzécri, J.P., Statistical analysis as a Tool to make Patterns Emerge
from Data, in Methodologies of Pattern Recognition, ed. New York:
Academic Press, pp. 35-74, 1969.
[32] Lebart, L., Piron, M., Morineau, A., Statistique exploratoire
multidimensionnelle. Visualisation et inférences en fouille de données, 4e
édition, Dunod, Paris, pp. 186-190, 2006.
[33] Sennett, R., The Corrosion of Character, The Personal Consequences Of
Work In the New Capitalism, W. W. Norton, London, U.K., pp. 133-136,
1998.
[34] Putnam, R., Social Capital: Measurement and Consequences, Canadian
Journal of Policy Research, vol.2, pp. 41-51, 2000.
[35] Caldwell, J. C., Caldwell, P., Mcdonald, P., Policy Responses To Low
Fertility And Its Consequences: A Global Survey, Journal of Population
Research, vol. 19, no. 1, 2002.
[36] McDonald, P., Low fertility and the state: the efficacy of policy.
Population and Development Review 32, 3, 485–510, 2006.
[37] Coleman, D., The Road to Low Fertility, Ageing Horizons No. 7, pp. 7-
15, 2007.
[38] Gheţău, V., Declinul demografic şi viitorul populaţiei României, Ed.
Alpha MDN, Buzău, 2007, pp. 44-54, 2007.
[39] Muresan, Cornelia , Shimbările comportamentului familial în Romania,
Presa Universitară Clujeană, Cluj Napoca, pp. 155-162, 2012.
[40] Van de Kaa D. Postmodern fertility preferences: from changing value
orientation to new behaviour, w: R. Bulatao, J. Casterline (eds.), Global
Fertility Transition, A Supplement to Vol. 27, Population and
Development Review, 2002.
[41] Rotariu, T., Mezei, E., Who is (still) Giving Birth in Romania?, Rev.
Romanian Sociology, vol.2, pp. 97-112, 2012.
[42] Istrate M., Muntele, I., The Family Policies and their Impact on the
Evolution of Fertility in Post-Communist Romania, ATINER
Conference Paper Series no. DEM2014, pp.75-83, 2014.
[43] Van Peer, C., Desired and achieved fertility in E. Klijzing and M.Corijn
(eds.) Dynamics of Fertility and Partnership in Europe: Insights and
Lessons from Comparative Research, Vol. 2. New York and Geneva:
United Nations, pp. 117-141, 2002.
[44] Traian Rotariu (coord.), Inertie si schimbare. Dimensiuni sociale ale
tranzitie in Romania, Ed. Polirom, Iasi, pg. 138, 2012.
[45] Rotariu, T. Demografie si sociologia populatiei. Structuri si procese
demografice, Ed. Polirom, Iasi, pp.280-286, 2009.
[46] Tudora, D., Muntele M., Coeziune teritorială şi disparităţi în Moldova,
Ed. UAIC, Iaşi, pp. 275-277, 2012.
[47] Philipov, D., Jasilioniene, A., Union formation and fertility in Bulgaria
and Russia: a life table description of recent trends, Demographic
Research, 19 (62): 2057-2114, 2008.
[48] Hărăguş, Mihaela., Intenţia de a avea (încă) un copil, în volumul
Populaţia României. Trecut, prezent, viitor, coodonatori Traian Rotariu,
Sorina Paula Bolovan, Ioan Bolovan, Presa Universitară Clujeană, pp.
503 – 522, 2006.
[49] Mureşan, C., Hoem, J.M., The negative educational gradients in
Romanian fertility, Demographic Research, vol. 22, pp. 95 – 114, 2010.
[50] Beckman, L.J., Couples’ decision-making process regarding fertility. In:
Taeuber, K.E., Bumpass, L., and Sweet, J.A. (eds.). Social Demography.
New York: Academic Press: 57−81, 1977.
[51] Mureşan, Cornelia, România, într-un stadiu atipic al celei de a doua
tranziţii demografice, Sociologie Românească, vol. VIII, nr. 4, pp. 67 –
77, 2010.
[52] Gog, S., Herţeliu, C., Religia în societatea românească, capitol în
volumul Inerţie şi Schimbare, coord. Rotariu, T., Voineagu, V, Polirom,
pp. 335 – 360, 2012.
[53] *** National Institute of Statistics Romania, www.insse.ro.
[1] Köppen, Katja, Second births in western Germany and France,
Demographic Research, volume 14, article 14, 2006, pp. 295-330.
[2] Samir, K.C., Barakat, B., Goujon, A., Skirbekk, V., Sanderson, W., and
Lutz, W., Projection of populations by level of educational attainment,
age, and sex for 120 countries for 2005‒2050. Demographic Research
22(15): 383‒472. doi: 10.4054/DemRes.2010.22.15, 2010.
[3] Goode, W.J., World changes in divorce patterns. New York: Yale
University Press, 1993.
[4] Salvini, S. and Vignoli, D., Times change: Women‘s and men‘s marital
disruption dynamics in Italy during a time of social transformations,
1970‒2003. Demographic Research 24(5): 145‒174, 2011. [5] Cigno, A., Economics of the family. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1991.
[6] Becker, G.S. (1993). A Treatise on the family. Enlarged edition.
Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.
[7] Hotz, V.J., Klerman, J.A., and Willis, R.J. (1997). The economics of
fertility in developed countries. In: Rosenzweig. M.R. and Stark, O.
(eds.). Handbook of population and family economics. Amsterdam:
Elsevier: 275‒347.
[8] Gough, M. and Noonan, M., A review of the motherhood wage penalty
in the United States. Sociology Compass 7(4): 328‒342.
doi:10.1111/soc4.12031, 2013.
[9] Matysiak, A., Interdependencies between fertility and women's labour
supply. Dordrecht: Springer. doi:10.1007/978-94-007-1284-3, 2011.
[10] Neyer, G., Welfare states, family policies, and fertility in Europe. In:
Neyer, G., Andersson, G., Kulu, H., Bernardi, L., and Bühler, C. (eds.).
The Demography of Europe. Dordrecht: Springer: 29‒53.
doi:10.1007/978-90-481-8978-6_3, 2013.
[11] Oláh, L. and Bernhardt, E., Sweden: Combining childbearing and
gender equality. Demographic Research 19(25): 1105‒1143.
doi:10.4054/DemRes. 2008.19.28, 2008.
[12] Lappegård, T., Family policies and fertility in Norway. European Journal
of Population 26(1): 99‒116. doi:10.1007/s10680-009-9190-1, 2010.
[13] Miettinen, A., Basten, S., Rotkirch, A., Gender equality and fertility
intentions revisited: Evidence from Finland. Demographic Research,
Volume 24, Article 20, Pages 469-496, http://www.demographicresearch.
org/Volumes/Vol24/20/ DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2011.24.20,
2011.
[14] Myrskylä, M., Kohler, H.-P., and Billari, F., Advances in development
reverse fertility declines. Nature 460: 741-743.
doi:10.1038/nature08230, 2009.
[15] Miettinen, A. and Rotkirch, A., Milloin on lapsen aika. Lastenhankinnan
aikeet ja esteet (When is the right time for children? Fertility intentions
and barriers). E/34. Helsinki: Population Research Institute, Family
Federation of Finland, 2008.
[16] Breton, D. and Prioux, F., Two children or three? Influence of family
policy and socio-demographic factors. Population (English Edition)
60(4): 415–445, 2005.
[17] Toulemon, L., Pailhé, A., and Rossier, C., France: High and stable
fertility. Demographic Research 19(16): 503‒556.
doi:10.4054/DemRes.2008.19.16.s, 2008.
[18] Kreyenfeld, M., ‘Time-squeeze, partner effect or self-selection? An
investigation into the positive effect of women’s education on second
birth risks in West Germany’, Demographic Research 7 (2), 2002.
[19] Kantorová, V., Education and entry into motherhood: The Czech
Republic during state socialism and the transition period (1970-1997).
Demographic Research Special Collection 3(10): 245-274.
doi:10.4054/DemRes.2004.S3.10, 2004.
[20] Thornton, A. and Philipov, D., Sweeping changes in marriage,
cohabitation and childbearing in Central and Eastern Europe: New
insights from the developmental idealism framework. European Journal
of Population 25(2): 123-156. doi:10.1007/s10680-009-9181-2, 2009.
[21] Thévenon, O., Family policies in OECD countries: A comparative
analysis. Population and Development Review 37(1): 57‒87.
doi:10.1111/j.1728-4457. 2011.00390.x, 2011.
[22] Kohler, H.-P., F. C. Billari, and J. A. Ortega. , The emergence of lowestlow
fertility in Europe during the 1990s, Population and Development
Review 28(4): 641–680, 2002.
[23] Mishtal, J. Z., Understanding low fertility in Poland: Demographic
consequences of gendered discrimination in employment and
postsocialist neoliberal restructuring. Demographic Research Volume
21, Article 20, pages 599-626, http://www.demographic-research.org/
Volumes/Vol21/20/ DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2009.21.20, 2009.
[24] Stein, P., Willen, S., Pavetic, M., Couples’ fertility decision-making.
Demographic Research, Volume 30, Article 63, pages 1697-1732,
http://www.demographic-research.org/Volumes/Vol30/63/ DOI:
10.4054/DemRes.2014.30.63, 2014.
[25] Kohlmann, A. and Kopp, J., Verhandlungstheoretische Modellierung
des Übergangs zu verschiedenen Kinderzahlen. Zeitschrift für
Soziologie 6(4): 258−274, 1997.
[26] Ott, N., Familienbildung und familiale Entscheidungsfindung aus
verhandlungstheoretischer Sicht. In: Wagner, G., Ott, N., and
Hoffmann-Nowotny, H.-J. (eds.). Familienbildung und Erwerbstätigkeit
im demographischen Wandel. Berlin: Springer: 97−116.
doi:10.1007/978-3-642-83989-4_7, 1989.
[27] Caplescu, R., Using the theory of planned behaviour to study fertility
intentions in Romania. Procedia Economics and Finance, 7th Internatioal
Conference on Applied Statistics, 2014.
[28] Ajzen, I., The Theory of Planned Behaviour. Organisational Behavior
and Human Decision Processes, 50, pages 179-211, 1991.
[29] Fishbein, M., Ajzen, I., Predicting and changing behaviour. Psychology
(Vol. 3, page 79), 2010.
[30] Jaba, E., Robu, I-B. , “Explorarea statistica a pietei de audit în scopul
aprecierii independentei auditorului”, Audit Financiar, 9(6), 28-36,
2011.
[31] Benzécri, J.P., Statistical analysis as a Tool to make Patterns Emerge
from Data, in Methodologies of Pattern Recognition, ed. New York:
Academic Press, pp. 35-74, 1969.
[32] Lebart, L., Piron, M., Morineau, A., Statistique exploratoire
multidimensionnelle. Visualisation et inférences en fouille de données, 4e
édition, Dunod, Paris, pp. 186-190, 2006.
[33] Sennett, R., The Corrosion of Character, The Personal Consequences Of
Work In the New Capitalism, W. W. Norton, London, U.K., pp. 133-136,
1998.
[34] Putnam, R., Social Capital: Measurement and Consequences, Canadian
Journal of Policy Research, vol.2, pp. 41-51, 2000.
[35] Caldwell, J. C., Caldwell, P., Mcdonald, P., Policy Responses To Low
Fertility And Its Consequences: A Global Survey, Journal of Population
Research, vol. 19, no. 1, 2002.
[36] McDonald, P., Low fertility and the state: the efficacy of policy.
Population and Development Review 32, 3, 485–510, 2006.
[37] Coleman, D., The Road to Low Fertility, Ageing Horizons No. 7, pp. 7-
15, 2007.
[38] Gheţău, V., Declinul demografic şi viitorul populaţiei României, Ed.
Alpha MDN, Buzău, 2007, pp. 44-54, 2007.
[39] Muresan, Cornelia , Shimbările comportamentului familial în Romania,
Presa Universitară Clujeană, Cluj Napoca, pp. 155-162, 2012.
[40] Van de Kaa D. Postmodern fertility preferences: from changing value
orientation to new behaviour, w: R. Bulatao, J. Casterline (eds.), Global
Fertility Transition, A Supplement to Vol. 27, Population and
Development Review, 2002.
[41] Rotariu, T., Mezei, E., Who is (still) Giving Birth in Romania?, Rev.
Romanian Sociology, vol.2, pp. 97-112, 2012.
[42] Istrate M., Muntele, I., The Family Policies and their Impact on the
Evolution of Fertility in Post-Communist Romania, ATINER
Conference Paper Series no. DEM2014, pp.75-83, 2014.
[43] Van Peer, C., Desired and achieved fertility in E. Klijzing and M.Corijn
(eds.) Dynamics of Fertility and Partnership in Europe: Insights and
Lessons from Comparative Research, Vol. 2. New York and Geneva:
United Nations, pp. 117-141, 2002.
[44] Traian Rotariu (coord.), Inertie si schimbare. Dimensiuni sociale ale
tranzitie in Romania, Ed. Polirom, Iasi, pg. 138, 2012.
[45] Rotariu, T. Demografie si sociologia populatiei. Structuri si procese
demografice, Ed. Polirom, Iasi, pp.280-286, 2009.
[46] Tudora, D., Muntele M., Coeziune teritorială şi disparităţi în Moldova,
Ed. UAIC, Iaşi, pp. 275-277, 2012.
[47] Philipov, D., Jasilioniene, A., Union formation and fertility in Bulgaria
and Russia: a life table description of recent trends, Demographic
Research, 19 (62): 2057-2114, 2008.
[48] Hărăguş, Mihaela., Intenţia de a avea (încă) un copil, în volumul
Populaţia României. Trecut, prezent, viitor, coodonatori Traian Rotariu,
Sorina Paula Bolovan, Ioan Bolovan, Presa Universitară Clujeană, pp.
503 – 522, 2006.
[49] Mureşan, C., Hoem, J.M., The negative educational gradients in
Romanian fertility, Demographic Research, vol. 22, pp. 95 – 114, 2010.
[50] Beckman, L.J., Couples’ decision-making process regarding fertility. In:
Taeuber, K.E., Bumpass, L., and Sweet, J.A. (eds.). Social Demography.
New York: Academic Press: 57−81, 1977.
[51] Mureşan, Cornelia, România, într-un stadiu atipic al celei de a doua
tranziţii demografice, Sociologie Românească, vol. VIII, nr. 4, pp. 67 –
77, 2010.
[52] Gog, S., Herţeliu, C., Religia în societatea românească, capitol în
volumul Inerţie şi Schimbare, coord. Rotariu, T., Voineagu, V, Polirom,
pp. 335 – 360, 2012.
[53] *** National Institute of Statistics Romania, www.insse.ro.
@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:69864", author = "Raluca-Ioana Horea-Şerban and Marinela Istrate", title = "Assuming the Decision of Having One (More) Child: The New Dimensions of the Post Communist Romanian Family", abstract = "The first part of the paper analyzes the dynamics of
the total fertility rate both at the national and regional level, pointing
out the regional disparities in the distribution of this indicator. At the
same time, we also focus on the collapse of the number of live births,
on the changes in the fertility rate by birth rank, as well as on the
failure of acquiring the desired number of children. The second part
of the study centres upon a survey applied to urban families with 3
and more than 3 offspring. The preliminary analysis highlights the
fact that an increased fertility (more than 3rd rank) is triggered by the
parents’ above the average material condition and superior education.
The current situation of Romania, which is still passing through a
period of relatively rapid demographic changes, marked by numerous
convulsions, requires a new approach, in compliance with the recent
interpretations appropriate to a new post-transitional demographic
regime.", keywords = "Family size intention, fertility rate, regional
disparities, third birth rank.", volume = "9", number = "5", pages = "1523-12", }
