This book studies the process of demographic transition which has played a key role in the economic development of Western countries. The special focus is on France, which constitutes the first clear case of fertility decline in Europe. The book analyzes the reasons behind this phenomenon by examining the evolution of demographic variables in France over the past two hundred years. To better understand the reasons of the changing patterns of demographic behavior, the authors investigate the development of the female labor force, study educational investments, and explore the evolution of gender roles and relations.
"It is the combination of the broad scope of the research being offered and the use of traditional 'population' sources to gather socio-economic data as well as of additional historical statistics that makes this volume such an original contribution." (John F. May, Canadian Studies in Population, Vol. 46, 2019)