Posted on 12/19/2012 3:22:03 PM PST by Mrs. Don-o
What do you do when your country is dying, one coffin at a time? Well, if you are Russian President Vladimir Putin, you call upon Russian couples to be fruitful and multiply, and have at least three children.
It is hard to exaggerate the demographic straits that Mother Russia finds itself in. According to the projections of the UN Population Division–we are speaking here of the so-called “low variant,” historically the most accurate–the Russian population will shrink by more than 30 million by mid-century if current trends continue. The population will age rapidly, from an average age of 37.9 in 2010 to and average age of 49 by 2050. In other words, most Russians will be beyond their childbearing years, and Russia’s demographic fate will be sealed.
The economy will follow the population into the tank. No economy can thrive when a population is moribund, filling more coffins than cradles.
This is not the first time that Putin has urged his fellow citizens to be prolific. In fact, he has been working more than a decade to reverse his country’s demographic decline.
Back in 2005, Putin announced that Russian couples would receive the equivalent of $9,000 upon the birth of a second child or higher order child. While this baby bonus created a bump in the birth rate, the numbers of births have begun to level off again. Many couples have already reached their desired number of children, received their bonuses, and are aborting any subsequent children they conceive. Abortion is still occurring in epidemic proportions in Russia. The birth rate has remained slightly higher than before, but is still too low to offset population losses. Russia continues to lose several hundred thousands people a year.
Putin took the occasion of his annual State of the Nation address to issue a call for more children. “The three child family should become the norm in Russia,” he declared. Since the average Russian woman has only one child, this would mean a considerable increase in fertility. Along with encouraging Russian women to have more children, he said, Russia must also look for ways to support and help them once they have had the children.
Putin was vague about what this additional support might entail, but his administration is in discussions with pro-life and pro-family groups on this point.
For their part, hundreds of pro-life and pro-family organizations, together with large families and activists from all over the Russian Federation, are joining together into a National Parents Association (NPA).
The CEO of the fledgling NPA, Alexey Komov, says that “President Putin, in his inaugural address, gave a clear message to everyone: Three children must become the norm in Russia or the country will face a serious demographic challenge going forward. We at the NPA are promoting the natural family-a husband and wife and their natural or adoptive children–and are in dialogue with State authorities to define effective family and demographic policy.”
One major obstacle to raising the Russian birthrate is the prevalence of abortion. The average Russian woman has seven abortions in her lifetime. As long as society fails to recognize the value of human life, and wantonly destroys it in large numbers, it will be difficult to establish a new three-child norm. Abortion must cease being a way of life in Russia if her people are to survive.
Putin has given Russian families a tangible incentive, the baby bonus, to have children. He and his administration are now attempting to shift cultural norms in favor of the three-child family.
But whether or not he succeeds will depend upon pro-life and pro-family advocates like Alexey Komov, and their efforts to turn Putin’s exhortations and financial support into a nationwide movement. On their success hinges the fate of the Russian people.
Is that why all those Ukrainian women are looking for a husband overseas?
In related news...
Without Babies, Can Japan Survive?
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/16/opinion/sunday/without-babies-can-japan-survive.html?src=rechp&_r=1&;
(yeah, I know. It’s the NY Slimes.)
The Chinese will fill the void with their 1.3 billion and growing subjects.
I believe the Chinese are also suffering a drop in birthrate & aging population, thanks to their one-child policy & female infanticide. It will be only a question of time for them, as well.
A mechanical surgical procedure is easier to schedule and handle logistically than regularly distribute birth control pills.
Putin could boost the population rate to at least twice his goal just by outlawing abortion.
The big problem for the Chinese is the under 40 age male ~ female ratio which is 100 males / 80 females. Kinda difficult to maintain or improve the birth rate with this mix.
Based on several visits to Moscow on business I have started to warm up to our former enemy. On a business level they are mostly westernized. They speak English, listen to country music, and are hardworking and entreprenurial. There is still many remnants of the USSR but it seems to fading quick.
The mayor of Moscow decreed that there should be Christmas decorations at every place of business.
I am now very hard pressed to view the Russian people as enemies. There may well be more Communists / Socialists in the USA then are in Russia.
The Russian and Ukrainian men are notorious for alcohol and tobacco abuse resulting in an average life expectancy of around 58 years. Compared to ours of 82 years, the Ukrainian women certainly would be interested in having a man last as long as her.
Which is a definte plus for us Western men as the women of the Former Soviet Union are the most beautiful in the world and have wonderful family values.
Ask if Mexico can help. Import welfare mothers. Put Democrats in charge of your immigration policies.
He ought to say he’ll accept any baby that China doesn’t want.
Ivan Average probably hated communism with a vengeance and was not sad to see it go.
The problem is Russians has an anchor baby legal cause as well. Combined with universal socialized health care it means planeloads of pregnant women from Central and South Asia arriving everyday to call 911 from airport and give a birth and then sue the government for greencard and welfare paychecks to support a citizen-baby. A dozen of relatives are following in a few years using legal loopholes as well. That actually contributes a lot to their present slight population growth.
$9,000 bonus is not enough for make most native Russians breed.
Yes, but they need be reminded that they were the wellspring of an ideology which has murdered millions and enslaved many more.
The big problem for the Chinese is the under 40 age male ~ female ratio which is 100 males / 80 females. Kinda difficult to maintain or improve the birth rate with this mix.
Knowing the Chinese as I do, half my family is Chinese, yes.
The Chinese are disciplined beyond anything I have seen in the US or Russia for that matter.
News flash...Karl Marx was German not Russian. My point is that Marxism is being rooted out of Russia while it is taking hold here. Whether it is Russia or China we need to quit beleiving that we are somehow immune from what happened in those countries.
While keeping a reign on our native Marxists we have unleashed them or their policies on the rest of the world. We have divereted a significant amount of the world’s food supply into fuel, we have allowed Malaria to kill millions by our ban on DDT, we have proped up blood thirtsy dictators with the IMF, and now we eroding the wealth of many millions by the unlimited printing of dollars. Make no mistake our home grown Marxists are deadly.
Which country has destroyed God and family the most?
I know Marx was German, but Communism took hold first in Russia. The Russians have given us this sick philosophy as well as political correctness, diversity and other obnoxious beliefs. THEY are to blame for much of the world’s problems, period.
Marx was German and the first Marxist inspired party was the German SPD which was founded as a Marxist political party. It is the second leading party to this day having only recently lost their majority status.
The US also bought into this philosophy early on in its inception but it has taken until now for the Marxist to get the upper hand. Unfortunately, while most other countries are disavowing Marxism we are embracing it.
In the US we had Progressivism and Social Darwinism well before the 1900’s. These philosophies are kith and kin to Marxism and it blinded many in this country to the evil that was occuring in Russia.
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