Magic Statistics

Russia’s population is falling by 800,000 per year—a matter of great concern for President Vladimir Putin, who wants to ensure a steady supply of Russian soldiers for future generations.  He devised a scheme to increase the birth rate but, because a bone-headed error was made in the announcement and timing of the plan, he made a bad situation worse.

When Vladimir Putin announced hefty benefits for women who had a second child, his pliant parliament and the Russian media pronounced him a genius.

Far from halting one of the world's worst demographic crises, however, Mr Putin appears to have triggered a surge in abortions.
. . .
In a state of the nation address last spring, he proposed a package of incentives, including a £5,000 payout to mothers who give birth for a second time – in a country where average wages are just £150 a month.

The money, however, will only be eligible to those who give birth after January.

Vast numbers of women already pregnant decided to have an abortion because they were going to give birth before the cut-off date, maternity hospitals and regional legislators have claimed.

That’s why governments rarely reveal changes in corporate tax breaks well in advance of their implementation.  If it is announced that taxes will be reduced on business capital investment beginning, say, six months from now, firms will stop investing until the breaks come into effect.  (Needless to say, aborting unborn babies is rather more serious than postponing capital investments.)

Not only that, details of Putin’s baby bonuses were not made known at first.  The women who had abortions only later found out that payments are not made until the child’s third birthday, and that funds are not paid in cash but in certificates for education or mortgage payments.  Now many aren’t sure they want another baby after all.

Way to go, Vladimir.

The UN forecasts that Russia’s population, currently 142 million, will fall to below 100 million by 2050.

Previous related posts:

• Russia’s population may fall by half by 2050
• Russia’s demographic catastrophe

A new book by Reginald W Bibby, one of Canada's foremost sociologists, argues that baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1965) have emphasized individualism, consumerism, and pluralism to the detriment of community life and the common good.  Personal freedom is the boomers’ summum bonum, ranked above family life, friendship, religious involvement, career, etc.

The generation born in the post-war period has reshaped Canadian society in accordance with its vision of the good life.  Canada has been transformed from a comparatively homogeneous society into one of the most diverse in the world.  Tolerance and acceptance of diversity have been elevated to moral principles in themselves.  As a result, there is no commonly accepted idea of what it means to be a Canadian.

Vancouver Sun columnist and baby boomer Paula Brook finds Dr Bibby’s book, entitled The Boomer Factor: What Canada's Most Famous Generation is Leaving Behind, unsettling—almost offensive.

"Most of us learned fairly early in our lives that the way to maximize our cherished personal freedom is to minimize our group involvement. Groups demand time and money; some have strong expectations as to how we should live our lives", he writes.
. . .
We have built a pluralistic society, he notes, while failing to celebrate what we have in common and now run the risk of seeing the diverse parts bring down the whole.

We've abandoned external standards and embraced the convenience of relativism - "our sense of morality diluted by ambiguity."
. . .
"Carried to excess, our critical outlooks will make life difficult for anyone who plays a leadership role. In the process, we will cripple our institutions, fail to benefit from legitimate expertise, and wring the joy out of life for many people."

And we're in the same foul soup spiritually. Though his surveys show we still overwhelmingly believe in God - almost half of us pray to Her privately on a regular basis - we rarely go to church or temple. Oh no, that would be too much of a group thing, a commitment. Who needs it?

I'd be royally insulted at Bibby's grim assessment of my overblown cohorts (not his - he was born in 1943) if it didn't ring all too true.  And if he didn't have the numbers on his side.

Bibby has spent over thirty years tracking social trends in Canada.  His latest book, like its predecessors, is backed up by extensive survey work and statistical analysis

The only bright spot in The Boomer Factor, apparently, is that the post-boomer generation shows signs of moving away from the unbalanced perspective of their immediate elders.  Post-boomers appear to be interested in working together to pursue a more communitarian version of a good life for all.  Bibby hopes that, as the newer generation displaces the boomers, the quality of life in Canada may improve significantly.

Dr Bibby holds the Board of Governors Research Chair in Sociology at the University of Lethbridge.  Last year he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada by the Governor-General.

h/t: Canadian Anglicans

Previous related posts:

• Individualistic religion on the rise in Canada
• Multiculturalism threatens Canada

The collect for today, the 23rd Sunday after Trinity, from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer:

O God, our refuge and strength, who art the author of all godliness; Be ready, we beseech thee, to hear the devout prayers of thy Church; and grant that those things which we ask faithfully we may obtain effectually; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle: Philippians 3:17-21
The Gospel: St Matthew 22:15-22