Russian law to criminalize ‘child-free propaganda’ moves ahead amid demographic crisis


Amid a demographic crisis marked by declining births and an aging population, Russia is moving to counter “child-free propaganda” with new legislation that criminalizes advocacy for not having children.

According to the Washington Post, the broad language of the law could impact content on television, social media, and advertising, as it does not clearly define what constitutes “propaganda.” This ambiguity raises concerns that media portraying childless individuals as content or large families as unhappy could face repercussions.

The Russian government’s push for the bill is part of a broader campaign to promote “traditional Russian values” and encourage larger families. President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly highlighted the country’s demographic challenges, describing them as a national security concern that “haunts” him.

Critics see the measure as an attempt to control personal freedoms. Daria Serenko, a co-founder of the Feminist Anti-War Resistance movement who left Russia, argued that the law represents a broader effort to control citizens’ private lives.

“This is a situation where the state wants to have monopoly on your body, on your voice, on your private life, on everything,” she claimed, per the Washington Post.

“There is silence,” Serenko added. “This is taboo. Women do not talk about it. They are afraid. Women do not want to go to court because they know very well what the consequences will be.”

Experts caution that women who share posts on social media about the struggles of parenthood may be punished. Contraception companies might also face restrictions on advertising, as they risk being perceived as promoting a child-free lifestyle.

“It will be impossible to say or write anything that is aimed at creating a ‘positive image of childlessness and a conscious desire not to have children,’” warned the Russian rights group First Department. “The ban on ‘child-free propaganda’ threatens not only those who protect the rights of women and girls … but everyone. If the bill is adopted in its current form, the phrase ‘How can you give birth when there is such poverty in Russia?’ will be punishable.”

The demographic crisis facing Russia is significant. According to the Washington Post, Russian demographer Alexander Raksha estimated that Russian deaths would outnumber births by 608,000 this year. Russia’s statistical agency reported that the first half of the year saw the lowest birth rate since 1999.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the population decline as “catastrophic for the future of the nation.” The government has since called on women to start families at younger ages, with Putin advocating for a revival of “wonderful traditions” where mothers would have seven or eight children.

This Story originally came from humanevents.com

 


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Visualizing 80 Years Of The Gold-to-Oil Ratio

Visualizing 80 Years Of The Gold-to-Oil Ratio

Gold and oil – two of the most influential commodities on the planet – have a fascinating relationship that has evolved over decades, captured in the gold-to-oil ratio.

The gold-to-oil ratio represents the number of barrels of crude oil equivalent in price to one troy ounce of gold.

It is viewed as an indicator of the health of the global economy, indicating when gold or oil prices are significantly out of balance with each other.

This graphic, via Visual Capitalist’s Niccolo Conte, shows the gold-to-oil ratio since 1946, using data compiled by Macrotrends.

What is the Gold-to-Oil Ratio?

The gold-to-oil ratio expresses the price relationship between gold and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil. WTI is a grade of crude oil and one of the three primary benchmarks for oil pricing, along with Brent and Dubai Crude.

A high ratio indicates that gold is relatively expensive compared to WTI crude oil, and vice versa. This can indicate periods of outsized demand for energy in the form of crude oil, or periods of monetary uncertainty when there is higher demand for gold.

Below is the gold-to-oil ratio every decade between 1946 and 2024.

During the 1950s and 1960s, fixed gold prices and stable oil prices kept the ratio between 11 and 13 for 20 years.

Since the 1980s, the ratio has typically traded within the range of 6 to 40 with a notable exception: in 2020 when the ratio reached a high of 91.1. The peak in 2020 was driven by COVID-19, which boosted gold prices as a safe haven while oil demand and prices plummeted due to global lockdowns.

In contrast, between 2000 and 2008, oil prices were relatively high compared to gold. During this period, the ratio dropped to nearly 6 but never rose above 16.

When comparing the two commodities, it’s worth remembering that the crude oil market is around 10 times larger than that of gold, making it the largest commodity market in the world.

If you enjoyed this graphic, make sure to check out this graphic that shows the top countries by natural resource value.

Tyler Durden
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