Is there an effect both positive or negative to the county's economy when couples have plenty children?
In the past before the current economic era, around the 15th century and the beginning of the French industrial revolution, having many children was seen as fertility and good for both the family work force and country's also. The labour force was majorly manual and those who worked at the plantations were sort after as able bodied men or women.
But at the moment, what is the viability of having many children especially as it could reduce the per capital income.
in the 15th century(first world countries) and even up to the 1960's in developing countries. many children were a cause of life expectancy of those children reaching maturity was low.. many childhood diseases caused many child deaths so families played the odds of multiple children in the hopes of some reaching maturity.
yes part of it was having many children to work the fields with their land owner parents. (free farm labour). which has been the other reason why things in modern times have led to a drop to ~2 kids per family. due to lack of need to have multiple births
..
per capita income is a nonsense number. because the rich single billionaire sways the average poor family number.
actual household income however is not changed much in large families.
the biggest expense is usually housing and bills like electric.
and if a single person sits in a living room or a family of 5 sits in the same living room. the bills are the same. the lightbulb lights the same room.
this is why you see some people have a house fit for only 4 people but have 7 people living in it and sleeping in the same room(bunk beds/double beds). they live within their means. where the only variable cost ends up being food/clothing.
EG 2 single people living independently in separate homes is worse economics than a couple living together in one home
this is way ancient laws(religion) and modern laws(government) of sins and taxes have always favoured giving grace and deductibles to couples and families, and punished/dis-incentivised the single person. to emphasise the importance of keeping families together in a single home