Professor Zhao Yanjing's proposal to link childbearing with affordable housing and pensions aims to stimulate fertility growth by rewarding fertility and punishing non-fertility, which has sparked widespread discussion and controversy in society. Professor Zhao believes that the decline in fertility is not simply due to the increase in the cost of raising children, but because financial instruments have replaced the function of the family, making people more inclined to invest in financial products rather than children. He emphasized that the problem of declining fertility is not due to the decline in love, but to the substitution of financial capital for family functions in modern society.
Professor Zhao's view is that fertility is not just an individual choice, but is closely related to the sustainability of society as a whole. He suggested that since the pension system is maintained on the basis of population growth, the pension system will face serious challenges if there is not enough population growth. Therefore, he suggested linking childbirth to social security, and incentivizing the increase in fertility by adjusting the pension and affordable housing treatment of those who do not have children.
The proposal sparked a wide discussion about reproductive freedom, social responsibility and the sustainability of the pension system. On the one hand, there is the view that childbearing is a personal and family choice that should not be forced or punished; On the other hand, there is also a view that appropriate policy guidance is necessary in the face of the challenges of population aging. These perspectives reflect the complex emotions and diverse cognitions of society on the issue of elderly care.
Professor Zhao's proposal, while controversial, is also a reminder to re-examine the importance of the family in retirement and the overall impact of the sustainability of the pension system on society.