A Taiwanese politician has sparked online debate after suggesting that having multiple wives could be one way to address the island’s declining birth rate, only for netizens to point out that the real problem is the cost of raising children.
Su Hsin-chang, who is running for mayor of New Taipei City, faced criticism after his remarks prompted discussions about marriage, family planning and the financial pressures facing young couples.
Some online commenters questioned whether he understood the concerns of ordinary people, arguing that having more spouses would not solve the underlying problem of affordability.
“He doesn’t understand that it’s an issue of money?” one commenter wrote.
“This has nothing to do with how many husbands or wives people have. The issue is simply that we cannot afford to have children,” another said.
Netizens Say Babies Need More Than Marriage
The comments reflect a broader frustration over the financial challenges associated with starting a family. Housing costs, childcare expenses and the cost of daily living can all influence whether couples feel ready to have children.
For many young adults, the decision is not necessarily about whether they want a family, but whether they can afford to raise one comfortably.
Having multiple wives would hardly remove these expenses. If anything, critics argue that supporting a larger household could bring even greater financial responsibilities.
The online backlash therefore shifted attention away from the number of spouses a person might have and towards a more practical question: how can people be encouraged to have children when the cost of raising them remains a major concern?
New Taipei City Mayoral Race
Su is contesting the New Taipei City mayoral election against Su Chiao-hui of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party and Lee Shu-chuan of the Kuomintang.
The debate comes as Taiwan continues to grapple with persistently low birth rates, making family policy and the affordability of raising children important issues for the island’s future.
While proposals to encourage marriage and childbirth may attract attention, the public reaction suggests that many people want solutions that address their everyday financial realities.
After all, finding a spouse may be one thing. Finding enough money to pay for housing, childcare, education and everything else that comes with raising a child is an entirely different challenge.
For critics of the proposal, the answer is simple: before asking people to have more children, policymakers need to consider whether ordinary families can afford to raise them in the first place.