Procreation for Prizes
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 09/11/2007 at 5:48 PM
Early this year, I blogged about the low esteem Russia seems to have for children demonstrated by the country's high abortion rate (rated by the Washington Post as the country with the third highest abortion rate behind Cuba and Romania).
Now it seems some in Russia are seeking to turn that tide by attaching greater value to children by ... handing out major awards. According to an article on CNN, they are offering prizes for procreation:
Ulyanovsk Gov. Sergei Morozov has decreed Sept. 12 a Day of Conception and is giving couples time off from work to procreate. Couples who give birth nine months later on Russia's national day -- June 12 -- will receive money, cars, refrigerators and other prizes.
Bizarre? Yes. Uncouth? Perhaps. But beyond his attempt to stem a demographic crisis, the governor cites another reason:
"If there's a good, healthy atmosphere at home within the family, if the husband and wife both love each other and their child, they will be in good spirits and that will extend to the workplace. So there will be a healthy atmosphere throughout the country," he told AP Television News. "The leadership (of the country) is interested in the family."
An admission that happy family life makes for ... happy life. The competition seems to be making a dent.
More than 500 women signed up for the contest in 2006 -- resulting nine months later in 78 babies, or more than triple the region's daily average. So far this year, the region's birth rate is up 4.5 percent compared to the same period last year.
But does the end justify the means? I doubt very many couples who were previously opposed to having kids have changed their minds to get a car. But still. This is the kind of thing that I don't know whether to make light of, congratulate for its novelty or deplore for its reducing children to raffle tickets. Russia must raise its value of children if it is to survive; I don't know that handing out prizes is the way to do it.
1. Rachel said the following at 6:15 PM on Sep 11:
What's next?
-"Save $5 at the supermarket for changing your child's diapers!"
-"A new car for attending every parent teachers conference for one year!"
-"Free 15 minute back rubs for every 1 hour you spend with your child!"
When you have to bribe people to want to have children, it is not a good situation. What will they do with the children when there are no more incentives but love?
2. Dan said the following at 7:38 PM on Sep 11:
This may seem a little in bad taste, but I found it hilarious, all be it in a dark kind of way. A national day off to procreate! Of course, I'm an Aussie, and we love our public holidays. Perhaps we should put that on the agenda for the next federal election, I'd vote for it, all be it that it does cheapen the value of life. Thanks for publishing this though, I needed a good laugh!
3. tmd said the following at 8:08 PM on Sep 11:
I'm sure there are t-shirts accompanying the prizes?
"I had a baby and all I got was a new car...and this lousy t-shirt."
4. DannieA said the following at 8:11 PM on Sep 11:
do we think maybe this has to do with Russia (and Cuba) having a communistic background therefore if more people are Atheist...value on life is going to differ from here where there are more people that have respect for life due to Christian influences...
something to think about
5. erin said the following at 8:20 PM on Sep 11:
I'd be scared for the children of those who previously were opposed to procreating but were swayed by the lure of material possessions. This is an intriguing story, but I think you're right in that it will ultimately take more than prizes for people to value children.
6. Charllotte said the following at 9:28 PM on Sep 11:
Hahah, try explaining *that* one to Junior.
"Why did you and daddy want me to be your kid?"
"Well honey, the government offered a pretty nice fridge..."
Its kind of humorous at face value, but I don't really know what to make of this sort of news, once I start thinking of its implications.
7. Beth said the following at 12:06 AM on Sep 12:
Actually, you're not so far off. New York is about to start bribing low-income families to take care of their children, among other things.
8. Samuel PG said the following at 12:20 AM on Sep 12:
I am definitely leaning toward commending the effort. As Suzanne pointed out, these prizes will probably not convince anyone otherwise opposed to having children to procreate, so we need not worry about children being born into unloving families. I suspect that this will encourage more people who already desire to have children to actually do so.
Consider the potentially poor people that would love to have a child (or another child) but feel that they cannot afford that extra expense. Perhaps the possibility of having a little extra income to help with the transition is just what they need.
It also seems that any outward social expression of appreciation for raising children should have some positive impact on the society.
9. Crystal said the following at 3:33 AM on Sep 12:
The status of children and of family in Russia is extremely sobering to think about, so it should definitely inform our current debate on abortion in the United States--not to be hurled at pro-abortionists as a scare tactic, but to serve as a cautionary tale for us (i.e., assuming that abortion continues to be legal, could Russia's present-day situation arise in the U.S. in a few decades?).
The idea of "reducing children to raffle tickets" is nearly incomprehensible to me, and I don't think the ends justify the means in the long run, but I also don't see any other way to break down their resistance to having children. It might be acceptable as a starting point if it is accompanied by a serious effort to reestablish a high value of children and family.
As awful as this is, I am inclined to be optimistic that a government official has publicly made "an admission that happy family life makes for ... happy life." It's a feeble beginning, but at least it exists. I think we should support it with much prayer.
10. J.T. said the following at 7:40 AM on Sep 12:
Maybe this is just me being from the south, but is getting so cold in Russia that it is directly affecting their rational decision making?
11. Carrie said the following at 11:17 AM on Sep 12:
I've read a few different things about "Conception Day". One comment I read helped me to see things from the a Russian's perspective.
In Russia bureaucracy is a way of life. The government runs the way that they think about life, from what I can understand. So, it falls into perfect line when they give them a day to conceive.
Not that I think its godly or "right", but what DannieA said, I think, is right on target.
"do we think maybe this has to do with Russia (and Cuba) having a communistic background therefore if more people are Atheist...value on life is going to differ from here where there are more people that have respect for life due to Christian influences...
something to think about"
12. Bethany said the following at 11:21 AM on Sep 12:
I think this is great! I am glad the government in Russia is making any kind of effort to care for the happiness of their nation's families.
I don't think it's as simple as "Russians don't value life." A large, large percentage of Russians live in very difficult conditions, and they have a history of oppression. First, it might help if Russians had more hope.
Women get abortions for more than one reason. Some women are selfish, and their pregnancy is inconvienent to their life plans. These women may be accused of valuing their own life too highly. Other women have abortions out of fear and despair. I would reckon that most Russian woman who have abortions fall into the second category.
I think the Russian economy and general morale would need to become a lot healthier for the abortion rate to dramatically decrease. I know Russian Christians tend to marry and have lots of kids - because they have faith that God will provide for them and protect them.
13. Elizabeth said the following at 5:36 PM on Sep 13:
I live in Russia. It's currently 3am here, but I just found this post and wanted to comment. Honestly it is strange to read Americans discussing this, because it concerns the future of people I know and love. The news may be representative of the Russian government, but it simply does not portray all sides of the situation.
I work with Russian orphans, many of whom will die before they are 30. Some orphanage graduates in their 20's have already given birth to and abandoned at least one child. Yet my friends here who are believers would love to have more kids, but live in a 1-rm flat. Do you know how hard it is to live all together in one room? The government offers incentives, but doesn't bother trying to provide better housing. Why are some children abandoned and others longed for?
Bethany is right, it's not a simple issue. I think we are all on one page here about our dismay and about the heart of the issue, but it really is complicated and concerns deep-rooted
wounds that vary among individuals. If you want to know more, you can read my blog, or let me know if you have specific questions.
14. Adam Sloope said the following at 2:01 PM on Sep 14:
These type of things are the ones that have deeper meaning than just people not being good parents or not wanting children. People do not respect life or the one who created it. This burns a fire in me because as much mission work that goes on is good sometimes we overlook practical things like this, teaching another culture the importance of children, family, and ultimatley a relationship with Jesus is. Russia is a large country that needs Jesus! So instead of pointing out how bad it is over there lets, point the fingers at ourselves, because Jesus left us with the responsibility to make others disciples, and in doing so we should teach them about one of the three institutions God started (Church, family, government). It's easier to be critical rather than become broken for people who have no hope in children, future, or life itself. Actions like these, abortions, lack of emphasis put on the family scream from the deeper issue, not having the relationship with God we were born missing.