econ

Russia is paying people to have babies - will it work?

stack_harder

Man, you’re asking the right questions here and yeah, Russia's ideas range from bureaucratically bizarre to outright dystopian.
Stuff like “birthrate as a KPI” or “demographic special forces”? That’s top-down control trying to fix a bottom-up, deeply cultural and economic issue. And you're right the war, the economy, and general hopelessness about the future aren’t exactly baby-making vibes. As for whether any government has truly reversed the trend? Not really. Some countries like Hungary and Singapore have thrown a ton of incentives at families housing support, tax breaks, subsidized childcare and they might slow the decline a bit, but nobody’s really cracked the code.I think you nailed it: when housing is expensive, careers are unstable, and life feels precarious, especially for younger people, the decision to have kids becomes a huge emotional and financial risk.“Fix the money, fix the birthrate” might sound like a meme but it’s got a point. If inflation eats your savings, your rent is half your paycheck, and your job could disappear tomorrow, you're not planning for a crib you’re planning for survival. And yeah, maybe there’s some truth to the hedonism bit too. But honestly? I think most people want connection, family, meaning they just don’t see how to afford it anymore. So unless the system changes to actually support people instead of squeezing them, birthrates will keep falling no matter how many Soviet-style “solutions” get recycled.

