The Baby Deficit

摘要

As fertility rates decline across the developed world, governments are offering big incentives for childbearing. Experts don't expect them to have much effect. Last month, from the podium of the Kremlin's grandiose Marble Hall, Russian President Vladimir Putin expounded on subjects vital to his nation's future—economic growth, technological modernization, and world trade—then he turned to the "most important" matter. "What I want to talk about," Putin said in his annual speech before the Federal Assembly, "is love, women, children. I want to talk about the family, about the most acute problem facing our country today—the demographic problem." Reminding the deputies that Russia's 143-million-strong population was declining by almost 700,000 peopleeach year, Putin proposed a fistful of incentives to boost the country's flagging birthrate. They include raising the childcare benefit of 700 rubles (26 dollar) per month to 1500 rubles for a first child and 3000 rubles for a second child, and paying 18 months of maternity leave equal to at least 40% of a mother's previous wages.