Public policy from the 1930s to the 1960s was dominated by the interests of young adults and families. From the 1970s, it has increasingly favoured the interests of the middle aged and the elderly population. In this article, the author examines how the restructured economies of the past 25 years are shaping the environments of the young. He focuses on that portion of life when young adults are forming or not forming families, and are choosing or not choosing to raise children, and so by these decisions, are shaping future societies. He focuses on the economics, or the changing material fortunes of young adults and families and on public policy or the actions of government which shape the environments of the young.