Did Russia just overcome its 20-year demographic crisis?

The Washington Post ^ | November 1, 2012 | Max Fisher

[MinorityRepublican]

Since shortly after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russia has been struggling with a major demographic crisis. High infant mortality, low childbirth rates, and fleeing emigres have seen the population shrinking by more than half a million citizens every year, at a time when most countries are growing. The shrinking population weakens the Russian economy and imperils the country’s future. It’s bad.

But could Russia’s demographic crisis finally be nearing an end? Forbes’ Russia-watcher Mark Adomanis digs into the latest official data and finds that Russia’s natural population decline appears to have so far leveled off for 2012:

[Forward the Light Brigade]

We too will need to start having more kids! We can’t depend on Mexico to supply people for us in the future.

[TnGOP]

I don’t think more kids is the answer the Government is looking for. I figure in the next 5 years or so there will be a really severe flu outbreak that affects the elderly and infirm at a much higher rate than others. It will be a worldwide pandemic.

Western Governments will shed millions of retirees from their roles, taking a lot of pressure off their budgets. After all, it’s easier to kill off an old geezer than to import and find jobs for the 50 million workers (my guesstimate) it would take to shore up social Security and Medicare.

It’s a shame how those lab-created viruses just slip right out there in the public. Oops!

[cunning_fish]

Early to celebrate. Russia is second only to United States in terms of immigration, with less than half than US population. Germany is a distant 3rd and all the rest of the world nations combined doesn’t have as much immigrant as these top three.
It doesn’t add any quality into their growth (mostly muslims and chicoms). It 50 years, if nothing changes, it will be another Stan.

[BBell]

I don't think Russia will become another Stan. In Moscow they won't even allow new mosques to be built.

Besides if the muzzies get to rambunctious the Russian will do what they always do, kill them off.

[Buckeye McFrog]

You mean those bizarre, Woodstock-like “Get Busy and Make Babies” events that Putin has been sponsoring are actually working??

[BBell]

A few years back I read an article giving Putin a lot of credit for more children being born. After the Soviet Union collapsed there was a long period of uncertainty so people stop having children. Then along comes Putin and he calmed the nation down and brought back a form of nationalism. People started feeling more secure so they started having babies again.

This is from an article I read, not me.

Incidentally, our birth rates are dropping.

[Comanche]

Then why is Russia having to export children via adoption?? Maybe this story is the real reason Putin has stopped adoption to US.

[MinorityRepublican]

It's quite amazing how Putin singlehandily saved Russia.

He'll go down in History as one of the greatest leaders of all time.

[BBell]

We’ll see.........

[Little Ray]

Already happening. My wife’s hospital has wards full of the elderly with the flu. Quite a few of ‘em die, too.

[MinorityRepublican]

We’ll see.........

If it was not for Putin, Russia would have been divided into at least 10 countries by now.

[BBell]

If it was not for Putin, Russia would have been divided into at least 10 countries by now.

I agree with you there.

BTW I thought you were being sarcastic with your earlier statement about Putin. A lot of people here on FR hate the guy. I look at him as someone who is doing whatever is in the best interest of Mother Russia. I wish we had leaders like that.

[MinorityRepublican]

BTW I thought you were being sarcastic with your earlier statement about Putin. A lot of people here on FR hate the guy. I look at him as someone who is doing whatever is in the best interest of Mother Russia. I wish we had leaders like that.

Putin's a nationalist. It would be nice if we had one in the White House. I don't get why a lot FReepers don't like Putin. It's in our interest to have a strong and stable Russia, especially with all the nukes they have.

[BBell]

I agree with you again. A weak Russia would also be an invitation for the radical muzzie minority to spread their influence.

[BBell]

The Chechnyans thought they were in the clear when Boris was in power. Then the radical muzzies started to take over Chechnya. Chechnya was never a radical muzzie state, they were very moderate. Then Putin came to power and he sent the Russian hammer to Chechnya. This in conjunction with targeted assassinations of Chechnya leaders ended the war in Russia’s favor.

[MinorityRepublican]

The Chechnyans thought they were in the clear when Boris was in power. Then the radical muzzies started to take over Chechnya. Chechnya was never a radical muzzie state, they were very moderate. Then Putin came to power and he sent the Russian hammer to Chechnya. This in conjunction with targeted assassinations of Chechnya leaders ended the war in Russia’s favor.

Remember the apartment bombings in Moscow? So was it true that the former KGB (now FSB) agents were behind the blast?

[BBell]

I never did hear or read anything concise as to what happened to the apartments. It's one big conspiracy theory.

I do remember Beslan, the theater take over, the subway bombings, and the two black widows who brought down two passenger jets by smuggling explosives in their ho-ho.

[MinorityRepublican]

This has led to the support of theories by Alexander Litvinenko (later murdered by an unusual radioactive isotope) and Anna Politkovskaya that the apartment bombings were carried out by the Russian secret service FSB (formerly KGB). Together with the Invasion of Dagestan launched from Chechnya in August 1999 by Islamist militia led by Shamil Basayev and Ibn al-Khattab, the bombings caused the Russian Federation to launch the Second Chechen War.

[BBell]

Although on 2 September 1999, the militia commander Ibn Al-Khattab announced that "The mujahideen of Dagestan are going to carry out reprisals in various places across Russia," on 14 September he denied responsibility for the blasts, adding that he was fighting the Russian army, not women and children.

Oh really? What about Beslan?