In Germany, there is a shortage of children. About a quarter of all women remain childless, and the remaining women have only a few children. Why do women in Germany have so few children? What problems does the shortage of children create for the German economy? Why is a population-oriented family policy desirable and necessary? Which family policy measures promise success and lead to a higher number of well-educated children? These questions are discussed in this book. The focus is on the economic incentives for childbearing decisions, the gap between the optimal number of children for households (individual rationality) and the socially desirable number of children (collective rationality), as well as the possibilities for an active and sustainable family policy.