Why are Marriage and Fertility Both Falling?

Marriage and fertility are both falling, worldwide. These discussions are usually disconnected. I suggest that their causes are shared and mutually-reinforcing. Cultural liberalisation has freed people from social policing and enabled them to pursue diverse preferences. If women are less interested in motherhood, it becomes less imperative to lock down a loyal provider.

Marriage is then only appealing if prospective partners offer loving, loyal companionship, but infidelity and ideological polarisation mean this demand is sometimes unmet.