The Mom Prize
Orban is following Putin's example
In 2022, Vladimir Putin resurrected the Soviet era “Mother Heroine” award, a prize of one million rubles (about $16,500) for any woman with TEN OR MORE CHILDREN. Look, I don’t know anything about the Russian economy but pretty much anywhere in the world, 16k is approximately enough to feed ten children for a month, two if you’re vegetarian. But every country in the world is needlessly freaking out about the global decline in birthrates- mother nature is thrilled, since climate change is real and all- and rather than address it by either celebrating the excellent news that we are putting fewer humans on this Earth, or by dealing with the reasons for the decline- climate change, housing crises, childcare and education costs, men- they are coming up with absurd ways to handle it.
Along with Putin’s Pathetic Prize:
China has thrown everything at the wall, from preferential public housing for families to an annual allowance of a kingly $890 for parents of three or more children, although, notably, only until that child turns three and presumably will either get a job or stop eating.
South Korea has declared a national emergency and created a new ministry to deal with the problem. The sale of pet strollers has outnumbered baby strollers which tells me that Korea is moving in the right direction.
Most recently, Hungary has introduced an income tax exemption for mothers of two or three children which is nice work if you can get it.
Notably, even countries that have tried to address the underlying concerns like childcare and housing are not seeing the desired bump in birthrates, probably because at the end of the day climate change is still real and young people just don’t want a kid in their house. Too much risk that they’ll try to play with our LEGO.
For stories of incredible women living great childfree lives, much to the consternation of their governing bodies, check out the latest episode of Choose the Bear for an interview with Nicole Louie, author of Others Like Me.
Have a great week,
Kat