I don’t think people consciously operate this way, but it’s a question of incentives. A society that emphasizes family and supporting elders will have more kids, one where the state has a bigger role fewer. It’s not a conspiracy but a nudge.
It's not mentioned in Birth Gap [1] (who will take care of you in old age) in the interview questions they ask, but I recommend the documentary regardless to understand the motivations for less children globally. The cohort of those who intend to be childfree continues to grow [2] [3] (at least in the US).
