The baby boom is one of the most surprising and at the same time little-explained phenomena in the demographic history of mankind. It occurred in the middle of the 20th century and affected virtually the entire industrialised world – from the USA to the USSR. From the 1940s to the end of the 1960s, the birth rate jumped sharply. It increased everywhere: among rich and poor, among working and housewives, among whites and non-whites. However, just as suddenly as it began, it ended abruptly. Why?
For two centuries, beginning with the Industrial Revolution, birth rates in industrialised countries have steadily declined. This was seen as a logical consequence of urbanisation, increased education, women’s participation in the economy and a decline in child mortality. After World War II, however, this trend changed dramatically. The graph, which should have continued a smooth decline, suddenly shot upwards. A phenomenon emerged that was later called the baby boom. The most striking thing about the baby boom is its universality. It wasn’t just an American phenomenon. The boom occurred in Canada, France, Great Britain, the USSR, Australia, Japan – virtually all countries with developing or developed industries. No single cultural, economic, or political cause can explain its magnitude. There is still no single universally accepted theory that fully explains both the fertility explosion and its equally rapid end. But over decades of research, a sort of consensus of factors has emerged that together may have created the unique conditions for the baby boom.
One of the key transformations of that period was the widespread introduction of electricity and household appliances such as washing machines, refrigerators and hoovers. These innovations greatly simplified housekeeping, especially for women, which freed up time and energy, allowing them to cope more easily with motherhood.
At the same time, there was a medical breakthrough: thanks to antibiotics, improved sanitation and the spread of professional medical care, infant and maternal mortality rates fell dramatically. For the first time in a long time, childbirth was no longer so dangerous and unpredictable.
In parallel, a housing boom was unfolding. States, seeking to ensure post-war recovery, actively invested in affordable housing and introduced mortgage support programmes. Young families had a real chance to buy their own homes and, consequently, to create a stable basis for family life.
Economic circumstances also played an important role. The post-war period was marked by a rapid growth in real incomes, largely due to the strengthening of the trade union movement and the expansion of workers’ rights. People gained confidence in the future, financial stability and the feeling that they could afford to have children. Against this background, government policy also became more family-oriented: paid maternity leave was introduced, and the system of benefits and social insurance developed. All this reduced the economic barriers to having a child.
Finally, one cannot ignore the effect of delayed childbearing. The Great Depression of the 1930s and then the Second World War froze people’s plans for a family for a long time. When the crises ended, millions of men and women finally had the opportunity to fulfil what had been postponed for years: to marry and have children.
All of the above factors of the baby boom could have happened simultaneously in only one short historical window. It is impossible to replicate this set of conditions in today’s reality. Electrification and antibiotics are a given. The economy is unstable. Young people can’t afford housing. The standard of living has risen, but with it the cost of living. And, most importantly, the very values and structure of society have changed.
