Summary
Russian lawmakers passed a controversial bill banning “child-free propaganda” to reverse a demographic slump and promote traditional family values.
The bill targets materials that promote a conscious rejection of having children and includes fines and deportation provisions.
It comes alongside existing bans on LGBTQ+ relationships and gender reassignment.
That is not the problem. Politicians should often be forward-thinking. In the US, failure to plan more than 2 years ahead is a huge detriment to infrastructure funding. Of course, central long-term planning à la USSR that does not consider market developments is an example of how wrong the opposite extreme can go.