Churches Key to Strenghtening Families, Not the State

Conservative scholars are calling for a politics more attuned to the problem of low marriage and fertility rates, putting forth in a recent statement published in National Review “eleven principles to advance an authentically pro-family approach to public policy.” The principles read like a grab bag of wish-list items intended to “strengthen the bond of marriage,” “advance policies that would make having children more affordable and achievable,” and “develop labor policies that create flexibility for parents without jeopardizing their financial security.” These ideas are catching on among at least some House Republicans.

It all sounds very good. But the principles are based on a basic misdiagnosis of the condition of the American family, the sources of its potential renewal, and the type of politics needed to achieve this. As such, these principles sketch a false blueprint for reform.

CR

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Catherine R. Pakaluk

Catherine R. Pakaluk is an associate professor of economics and social thought at the Catholic University of America.

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Conservative scholars are calling for a politics more attuned to the problem of low marriage and fertility rates, putting forth in a recent statement published in National Review “eleven principles to advance an authentically pro-family approach to public policy.” The principles read like a grab bag of wish-list items intended to “strengthen the bond of marriage,” “advance policies that would make having children more affordable and achievable,” and “develop labor policies that create flexibility for parents without jeopardizing their financial security.” These ideas are catching on among at least some House Republicans.

It all sounds very good. But the principles are based on a basic misdiagnosis of the condition of the American family, the sources of its potential renewal, and the type of politics needed to achieve this. As such, these principles sketch a false blueprint for reform.